ESZ585 


Division 
Section 


NOTE -The  .udumcnl  ol  i 


THE  WESTMINSTER  NE  W  TESTAMENT 

General  Editor 
ALFRED  E.  GARVIE,  M.A.(Oxon.),  D.D.(Glas.) 

PRINCIPAL  OF   NEW  COLLEGE,   LONDON 


THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO 

ST.    MARK 

WITH  INTRODUCTION  AND  NOTES 
By   the    Rev.    S.    W.    GREEN,    M.A. 

PROFESSOR   OF    NEW    TESTAMENT    EXEGESIS 
REGENT'S   PARK   COLLEGE,    LONDON 


JUL  20  11 
^gBlQkl  SB 


NEW   YORK 

FLEMING   H.  REVELL   COMPANY 

LONDON 

ANDREW   MELROSE 


PREFACE  BY  THE  GENERAL  EDITOR 

Having  carefully  selected  the  editors  of  the  ten 
volumes  of  which  the  Westminster  New  Testament 
will  consist,  and  having  fully  explained  to  them 
the  purpose  of  the  series,  the  General  Editor  is 
leaving  them  the  greatest  possible  liberty  ;  and  the 
editor  of  each  volume  is  alone  responsible  for  the 
opinions  expressed  in  it.  It  is  hoped  that  thus 
any  lack  of  uniformity  will  be  amply  compensated 
for  by  the  varied  interest  which  the  free  expression 
of  his  own  individuality  by  each  editor  will  impart 
to  the  series.  While  the  standpoint  adopted  is 
that  of  modern  critical  scholarship,  only  the 
generally  accepted  results,  and  not  the  vagaries  of 
individual  critics,  are  being  presented,  and  in  such 
a  fashion  as  to  avoid  unnecessarily  giving  any 
offence  or  causing  any  difficulty  to  the  reverent 
Bible  student.  As  the  series  is  intended  especially 
for  teachers,  lay  preachers,  and  others  engaged 
in  Christian  work,  their  needs  are  being  kept 
particularly  in  view,  and  the  Commentary  aims  at 
being  as  practically  useful  as  possible.  A  new 
arrangement  in  printing  the  text  and  the  notes 
has  been  adopted,  which  it  is  believed  will  be  found 
an  improvement. 

A.  E.  GARVIE. 

New  College,  London, 


THE 

WESTMINSTER  NEW  TESTAMENT 

THE  GOSPEL  ACCORDING  TO 
ST.  MARK 


INTRODUCTION. 

In  entering  upon  a  study  of  one  of  the  Gospels,  it 
is  important  to  distinguish  between  the  book  itself 
and  the  problems  to  which  it  gives  rise.  The  book, 
together  with  the  influence  it  has  had  over  the 
mind,  the  heart,  the  will  of  men,  constitutes  a  fact. 
So  long  as  we  deal  with  this  fact  we  are  dealing 
with  certainties,  and  the  essential  preliminary  to 
any  effective  criticism  of  a  Gospel  —  considera- 
tion of  its  sources,  authorship,  and  date,  its 
historical  value,  its  relation  to  other  Gospels — is  to 
see  the  fact  itself  as  clearly  as  may  be,  to  let  the 
book  speak  for  itself.  The  fact  first,  its  meaning 
and  worth  later:  in  the  former  investigation  we 
try  to  see  what  indubitably  is,  in  the  latter  to 
exercise  judgment  upon  problems  still  in  the  region 
of  debate  and  uncertainty.  Hence  this  brief 
Introduction  will  look  first  at  the  book  itself — its 
subject,  contents,  and  characteristics ;  then  at  the 
main  problems  which  gather  round  it. 
i 


2    Westminster  New  Testament 


I.  THE  BOOK. 

1.  Subject.  This  is  announced  in  the  opening 
words,  "  The  beginning  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ."  There  is  reason  to  interpret  "gospel/' 
as  here  used,  in  the  sense  of  the  facts  about 
Jesus  (see  n.  on  i.  1),  and,  whether  this  title  is 
original  or  not,  it  correctly  describes  the  scope  of 
the  work.  Mark  does  not  write  a  "  Life  of  Christ "  : 
so  far  as  chronological  indications  go,  all  that  he 
relates  might  fall  within  the  space  of  a  single  year. 
To  adopt  a  phrase  from  the  earliest  known  com- 
ment on  his  Gospel  (quoted  below,  II.  2),  he  writes 
"the  things  either  said  or  done  by  the  Christ,"  i.e. 
by  Jesus,  whose  words  and  deeds  declared  Him  to 
be  Messiah,  and  so,  when  gathered  together  in  a 
continuous  story,  constitute  not  merely  a  biography, 
complete  or  fragmentary,  but  a  Gospel.  Only,  if 
we  are  to  do  justice  to  the  perspective  of  the  book, 
we  must  add  to  "  things  said  or  done "  another 
phrase,  "  things  suffered  "  ;  for  not  only  are  these 
told  with  significant  fulness,  but  they  are  led  up 
to  by  repeated  forecasts  in  the  earlier  stages  of  the 
narrative. 

The  subject,  then,  is  the  things  said,  done,  and 
suffered  by  Jesus  Christ.  The  further  question 
whether  the  writer  had  a  definite  aim,  beyond  the 
general  one  of  letting  his  story  show  that  Jesus 
was  the  Christ,  is  not  raised  at  this  point,  because 
it  belongs  rather  to  the  problems  of  the  book  than 
to  the  fact  of  the  book.  For  aim  easily  passes 
into  tendency,  and  to  decide  that  the  author  of 
a  Gospel  has  a  tendency  may  at  once  suggest 
critical  doubts  as  to  how  far  history  may  have  been 
coloured  by,  or  subordinated  to,  dogmatic  purpose. 


St.  Mark  3 

The  question  of  Mark's  treatment  of  his  subject 
opens  up  grave  critical  problems  :  the  subject  itself 
is  unmistakable. 

2.  Contents.  The  book  falls  into  sections,  loosely 
strung  together  into  a  sequence,  with  indications 
of  place  and  time  which  serve  for  connecting  links, 
but  which  are  too  occasional  and  vague  to  give 
sure  data  for  reconstruction  of  the  history.  A 
sectional  division  is  given  in  the  commentary 
which  follows,  and  need  not  here  be  repeated. 
The  story  shows  a  certain  advance,  notably  in  the 
opposition  to  Jesus,  in  His  "training  of  the 
Twelve"  and  in  His  Messianic  claim,  but  this 
advance  is  not  obtruded  by  sharply  marked 
divisions.  A  mid-point  of  the  Gospel  may  be 
found  in  Peter's  confession  of  Jesus  as  the  Christ 
(viii.  29) :  this  great  discovery  is  prepared  for  by 
all  that  precedes  and  dominates  all  that  follows, 
yet  it  is  recorded  without  special  emphasis. 
Perhaps,  in  broad  outline,  the  contents  may  be  thus 
set  forth : — 

(1)  Title  and  Introduction,  i.  1-8. 

(2)  Baptism  and  Temptation,  i.  9-13. 

(3)  The  beginnings  of  the  Galilcean  Ministry, 
i.  14-45. 

^4)  The  rise  and  growth  of  opposition,  ii.  1-iii.  6. 

[5)  The  Ministry  at  its  height,  iii.  7-vi.  29  (the 
multitude,  iii.  7-12;  choice  of  the  Twelve,  iii. 
13-19  ;  opponents  rebuked,  iii.  20-35  ;  teaching  in 
parables,  iv.  1-34 ;  a  group  of  mighty  works,  iv. 
35-v.  43 ;  rejection  at  Nazareth,  vi.  1-6 ;  the 
mission  of  the  Twelve,  vi.  7-13;  episode  of  the 
death  of  John  the  Baptist,  vi.  14-29). 

(6)  From  the  return  of  the  Twelve  to  the  close  of  the 
Galilcean  ministry,  vi.  30-ix.  50  (the  feeding  of  the 


4    Westminster  New  Testament 

five  thousand  and  walking  on  the  sea,  vi.  30-52 ; 
ministry  in  Gennesaret,  vi.  53-56  ;  discourse  against 
the  "  tradition  of  the  elders/'  vii.  1-23 ;  with- 
drawal from  Galilee  and  tour  through  Phoenicia 
and  Decapolis,  vii.  24-37  ;  the  feeding  of  the  four 
thousand,  viii.  1-10  ;  demand  for  a  sign  from  heaven, 
the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees,  cure  of  a  blind  man,  viii. 
11-26;  Peter's  confession,  the  first  announcement 
of  the  Passion,  the  Transfiguration,  viii.  27-ix.  13  ; 
cure  of  an  epileptic  boy,  ix.  14-29 ;  second 
announcement  of  the  Passion,  ix.  30-32 ;  "  who  is 
the  greatest  ? "  ix.  33-50). 

(7)  On  the  way  to  Jerusalem,  x.  1-52  (question  of 
divorce,  vers.  1-12;  blessing  little  children,  13-16  ; 
the  rich  young  ruler,  17-31 ;  third  announcement 
of  the  Passion,  32-34 ;  petition  of  the  sons  of 
Zebedee,  35-45  ;  blind  Bartimaeus,  46-52). 

(8)  The  Last  Week,  xi.  1-xvi.  8  (entry  into 
Jerusalem,  xi.  1-11  ;  the  barren  fig  tree,  xi.  12-14, 
20-25  ;  cleansing  the  Temple,  xi.  15-18  ;  questions 
on  the  authority  of  Jesus,  tribute  to  Caesar,  the 
resurrection,  the  greatest  commandment,  the  son 
of  David,  xi.  27-xii.  37  ;  denunciation  of  the  scribes, 
xii.  38-40 ;  the  widow's  mite,  xii.  41-44  ;  discourse 
on  the  Last  Things,  xiii.  1-37  ;  the  anointing  at 
Bethany,  xiv.  1-9 ;  Judas  Iscariot,  xiv.  1 0,  1 1  ;  the 
Last  Supper,  xiv.  12-26;  Gethsemane,  xiv.  27-42; 
the  arrest,  xiv.  43-52 ;  the  Trial  before  the  high 
priest,  xiv.  53-65  ;  Peter's  denial,  xiv.  66-72 ;  the 
Trial  before  Pilate,  xv.  1-20 ;  the  Crucifixion  and 
Burial,  xv.  21-47  ;  the  Resurrection,  xvi.  1-8). 

3.   Characteristics. 

(a)  In  the  substance  of  the  narrative.  Here  it  is 
not  possible  to  continue  to  regard  this  Gospel  as  an 
isolated   fact.      Comparison    is    inevitable,   either 


St.  Mark  5 

definitely,  with  the  two  other  records  which 
cover  the  same  ground  (St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke), 
or  with  some  vaguer  familiarity  with  the  Gospel 
history  as  a  whole.  So  judged,  the  chief  character- 
istic of  St.  Mark  will  appear  as  defect,  especially 
in  regard  to  the  teaching  of  Jesus :  no  Sermon  on 
the  Mount  or  Lord's  Prayer,  of  the  wealth  of 
parables  only  four,  hardly  any  extended  discourses. 
The  sections  of  St.  Mark  which  have  no  parallel 
in  St.  Matthew  or  St.  Luke  are  four  only :  one 
parable,  iv.  26-29  ;  two  cures,  vii.  31-37,  viii.  22-26  ; 
and  the  incident  of  xiv.  51,  52.  The  effect  of 
this  reticence  as  to  the  teaching  (whatever  may 
be  its  cause)  is  to  bring  into  relief  the  deeds  of 
Jesus:  "The  emphasis  is  laid  on  Power — Power 
expressing  itself  in  a  bright,  swift  series  of 
marvellous  deeds  that  strike  the  beholder  with 
amazement,  so  that  the  note  of  admiration  recurs 
again  and  again.  Shall  we  not  all  say  that  the 
reading  of  this  Gospel  is  like  nothing  so  much  as 
the  passing  through  some  picture  gallery,  where  in 
clear  outline,  soft  bright  colouring,  is  represented 
a  series  of  amazing  deeds?"  (W.  Medley,  The  N.T. 
an  Organic  Unity). 

Yet  this  defect  must  not  be  exaggerated.  The 
narrative  clearly  shows  the  stress  Jesus  Himself 
laid  upon  His  commission  to  teach,  and  presents, 
if  in  outline  only,  His  leading  ideas,  especially 
concerning  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  Messiah  ; 
while  it  falls  no  whit  behind  the  fuller  records  in 
the  impression  it  conveys  of  His  fearless  passion 
for  reality,  the  freshness,  simplicity,  and  spirituality 
of  His  teaching  against  a  background  of  the 
lifeless  and  loveless  formalism  which  had  usurped 
the  name  and  place   of  religion,  the  convincing 


6    Westminster  New  Testament 

authority  with  which  His  word  went  home  to  the 
hearts  and  consciences  of  those  who  heard. 

(6)  In  the  form  of  the  narrative.  The  main 
characteristic  is  summed  up  in  the  word  vividness : 
the  picture  is  lifelike.  In  the  arrangement  of  his 
material  Mark  succeeds  in  fashioning  out  of  a 
series  of  episodes  a  continuous  and  enthralling 
story.  The  links  may  at  times  be  vague  or 
artificial,  but  in  spite  of  this  "the  history  is 
effective  and  even  powerful.  We  are  carried 
swiftly  from  one  situation  to  another,  in  which 
Jesus  is  master  of  all  the  circumstances  and  all 
the  persons,  chooses  the  best  means,  shows  Himself 
worthy  of  all  confidence  even  in  the  most  trying 
position,  and  utters  the  word  never  to  be  forgotten, 
which  was  true  then  and  is  true  still.  The  writer 
is  entirely  out  of  sight ;  one  never  thinks  of  him  ; 
the  story  is  everything  "  (Menzies). 

And  this  skill  in  graphic  narration  is  found  not 
only  in  the  whole,  but  in  the  parts  of  which  it  is 
made  up.  Mark's  treatment  of  an  incident  is 
continually  fuller  than  Matthew's  or  Luke's,  and 
the  added  matter  generally  helps  us  to  realise  and 
interpret  the  scene.  Often  by  a  single  touch — 
the  record  of  a  look,  movement,  emotion,  or 
pregnant  word — he  gives  a  realism  to  his  picture 
which  is  either  due  to  the  fidelity  of  an  observant 
eye-witness  or  is  the  product  of  consummate  art. 
Instances  are  noted  in  the  commentary :  it  is 
perhaps  more  profitable  to  receive  this  impression 
of  graphic  realism  from  a  study  of  the  Gospel 
itself  (with  parallels)  than  from  tabulated  details. 

4.  Influence.  It  remains  simply  to  be  noted 
that  the  influence  exerted  by  the  book  may 
legitimately   be  regarded   as  part   of  the  fact   of 


St.  Mark  7 

which  criticism  must  take  account.  It  is  true 
that  it  is  difficult  to  isolate  the  impression  of  Jesus 
Christ  due  to  St.  Mark  alone  from  the  other 
elements  which  combine  with  this  to  form  the 
grounds  of  Christian  faith  —  additional  history  in 
St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke,  and  in  the  Acts ; 
interpretation  of  the  Christian  facts  in  the  Epistles 
and  the  Apocalypse  ;  both  history  and  interpretation 
in  the  Fourth  Gospel.  But  the  attempt  may  be 
made  (see  Dr.  W.  H.  Bennett,  The  Life  of 
Christ  according  to  St.  Mark),  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
membered that,  in  all  probability,  St.  Mark  is  our 
only  source  for  a  knowledge  of  the  main  outlines 
of  a  Life  of  Christ  (see  below,  II.  3).  If  the 
sections  parallel  to  St.  Mark  in  the  other  two 
Synoptics  are  derived  from  him,  it  is  obvious  that 
the  value  of  our  Gospel  is  immensely  enhanced, 
and  that  its  influence  in  the  making  of  Christendom 
could  scarcely  be  overestimated.  That  influence 
is  to  be  noted  as  a  fact,  which,  though  it  does 
not  prejudge  a  single  conclusion  of  criticism,  is 
itself  a  problem  for  criticism.  Criticism  has  its 
rights,  which  every  lover  of  truth  will  not  only 
admit  but  welcome :  the  "  plain  man "  has  his 
rights  too,  whether  he  be  represented  by  the 
individual  believer  or  by  the  collective  faith  of 
traditional  Christianity.  It  may  be  freely  allowed 
that  criticism  largely  modifies  and  corrects  the 
traditional  view  of  the  Gospels,  but  in  its  final 
results  it  must  keep  in  touch  with  the  fact  of  their 
influence  in  the  world,  or  its  solution  of  the 
problem  runs  short.  To  give  a  single  instance 
of  what  is  meant :  in  the  most  recent  of  note- 
worthy contributions  to  the  study  of  the  Gospels, 
the    brilliant    work    of   M.    Loisy   (Les    fivangiles 


8    Westminster  New  Testament 

Synoptiques,  1908),  he  writes  of  St.  Mark  as  "an 
anonymous  compilation,  a  residuum,  more  or 
less  heterogeneous,  of  the  historical  tradition  of  the 
Gospel,  and  of  the  interpretations,  the  corrections, 
the  additions  with  which  the  activity  of  Christian 
thinking  had  embellished  it.  .  .  .  The  most  personal 
and  the  least  literary  of  the  three  Synoptics  is 
Mark.  He  treats  the  sources  more  roughly  and 
less  skilfully  than  Matthew  and  than  Luke. 
He  cuts  out  and  he  adds  with  a  sort  of  brutality, 
with  no  more  care  for  the  resulting  incoherencies 
of  form  than  for  the  improbabilities  and  contradic- 
tions of  matter.  He  has  not  produced  a  book 
but  a  free  compilation,  in  which  it  is  very  difficult 
to  distinguish  order  or  plan." 

Now,  such  a  judgment  (led  up  to  by  a  rigorous 
analysis  of  the  Gospel)  may  be  valid  or  not.  But 
the  point  is  that  it  appeals  to  broad  impressions 
on  which  the  student  of  far  less  critical  equipment 
is  entitled  to  pronounce  (cf.  I.  3).  And  it  leaves 
an  unsatisfied  wonder  as  to  how  a  work  so  destitute 
of  historical  foundation  and  so  clumsily  compiled 
could  ever  have  had  such  influence  in  the  world, 
and  can  still  exert  such  claim  upon  the  mind  and 
heart  of  men  as  must  be  attributed  to  this  "  Gospel 
according  to  St.  Mark." 

II.  THE   PROBLEMS. 

1.  Authorship.  The  book  is  anonymous  (see  n.  on 
xiv.  51,  52):  from  the  end  of  the  second  century, 
when  the  earliest  clear  tradition  as  to  the  author- 
ship of  the  Gospels  emerges,  it  has  been  ascribed 
to  Mark,  identified  with  the  John  Mark,  John,  or 
simply  Mark,  of  the  Acts  and  Epistles.     In  Acts 


St.  Mark  9 

he  is  first  named  when  Peter,  delivered  from  prison, 
"  came  to  the  house  of  Mary  the  mother  of  John, 
whose  surname  was  Mark"  (xii.  12).  He  was, 
therefore,  a  Jew  of  Jerusalem,  who  had  followed 
the  common  practice  of  adding  to  his  Jewish  name 
of  John  a  secondary  Latin  name,  Marcus :  his 
mother's  home  was  evidently  a  centre  for  the 
Christian  community.  A  little  later  he  accompanied 
Barnabas  and  Saul  from  Jerusalem  to  Antioch,  was 
taken  by  them  in  the  subordinate  capacity  of 
"minister"  or  "attendant"  (R-V.)  on  their  first 
missionary  journey  to  Cyprus,  crossed  with  them 
from  Paphos  to  Perga  in  Pamphylia,  where  he  left 
them  and  returned  to  Jerusalem  (xii.  25,  xiii.  5,  13). 
This  incident  is  not  necessarily  to  his  discredit  : 
the  journey  may  have  been  extended  beyond  the 
original  plan  (in  Cyprus  Barnabas  and  his  cousin 
Mark  were  in  the  country  of  their  family,  Acts 
iv.  36),  and  Mark  may  have  had  claims  which  called 
him  home.  But  when  Barnabas  subsequently  pro- 
posed to  Paul  that  Mark  should  again  accompany 
them  in  their  projected  second  missionary  journey, 
Paul  demurred,  sharp  contention  ensued,  and 
Barnabas  parted  from  Paul,  taking  Mark  with 
him  to  Cyprus,  where  the  history  leaves  them 
(xv.  36-40).  From  the  next  references,  some  ten 
years  later,  we  learn  from  Paul  that  Mark,  the 
cousin  of  Barnabas,  now  a  "  fellow- worker "  with 
the  Apostle  and  a  "  comfort "  to  him,  was  with  him 
in  Rome,  and  that  special  instructions  had  been 
sent  to  the  Church  at  Colossae  to  give  Mark  a 
welcome  if  he  should  come :  the  old  grievance  is 
completely  effaced  (Col.  iv.  10,  11;  Philem.  24). 
Two  later  references  still  connect  Mark  with  Rome, 
in  the  one  case  as  sent  for  by  Paul  because  he  is 


io   Westminster  New  Testament 

"useful  for  ministering"  (2  Tim.  iv.  11);  in  the 
other  as  with  Peter,  who  affectionately  styles  him 
"  Mark,  my  son  "  (1  Pet.  v.  1 3).  Thus  the  first  and  the 
last  notices  of  Mark  connect  him  with  Peter,  the 
intermediate  ones  with  Paul :  it  is  on  the  former 
of  these  connections  that  tradition  concerning  the 
authorship  of  the  Gospel  has  laid  stress. 

2.  Sources.  Whence  did  Mark  derive  the 
material  of  his  story  ?  "  One  of  the  oldest  and 
most  trustworthy  of  Christian  traditions  represents 
Mark  as  St.  Peter's  interpreter,  and  as  the  author 
of  a  collection  of  memoirs  which  gave  the  sub- 
stance of  St.  Peter's  teaching  "  (Dr.  Swete).  Papias, 
Bishop  of  Hierapolis  in  Phrygia,  as  quoted  by 
Eusebius,  the  Church  historian  of  the  fourth 
century,  writes  as  follows  (probably  before  150  a.d.)  : 
"  And  this  the  Elder  used  to  say :  Mark,  having 
become  Peter's  interpreter,  wrote  down  accurately, 
though  not  in  orderly  arrangement,  all  that  he  re- 
membered of  the  things  either  said  or  done  by  the 
Christ.  For  he  was  neither  a  hearer  nor  a  follower 
of  the  Lord,  but  later,  as  I  have  said,  he  was  a 
follower  of  Peter,  who  arranged  his  teachings  as 
need  dictated,  but  not  as  though  he  was  com- 
piling a  complete  account  of  the  Lord's  sayings. 
So  then  Mark  made  no  mistake  in  thus  writing 
down  some  things  as  he  remembered  them  ;  for  his 
one  care  was  not  to  omit  or  misrepresent  anything 
that  he  had  heard."  This  important  testimony 
comes  from  the  middle  of  the  second  century :  at 
the  close  of  the  century  it  receives  confirmation 
from  Irenaeus  (who  states  what  the  "remembered  "  of 
Papias  seems  to  imply,  that  Mark  wrote  after 
Peter's  death),  and  from  Clement  of  Alexandria, 
who   places  Peter's  preaching  in  Rome,  and  says 


St.  Mark  n 

that  Mark  wrote  down  what  was  said  in  a  "  Gospel " 
at  the  request  of  the  hearers,  Peter  (still  alive) 
neither  opposing  nor  furthering  the  design.  The 
evidence  is  not  entirely  consistent,  and  many 
points  in  it  are  still  under  discussion,  but  the  main 
situation  seems  amply  attested.  Long  before  the 
Gospels  were  written,  the  facts  of  the  Life  and 
Teaching  of  Christ  were  taught  by  the  Apostles  and 
their  helpers,  in  sections  of  convenient  length  and 
dealing  with  the  subject  most  appropriate  to  the 
need.  This  oral  teaching  would  become  stereotyped 
by  frequent  repetition  ;  different  cycles  of  it  would 
gain  currency  in  different  centres  of  the  Church, 
would  ultimately  be  committed  to  writing,  and 
would  furnish  to  the  Evangelists,  whether  in  oral  or 
written  form,  the  chief  material  for  their  Gospels. 
Amid  all  the  conflicting  theories  of  the  origin  of 
the  Synoptic  Gospels,  it  is  indubitable  that  their 
ultimate  source  lies  in  this  oral  tradition  (cf.  Luke 
i.  4  :  that  Evangelist  commits  his  Gospel  to  writing 
that  Theophilus  might  know  the  certainty  of  the 
things  in  which  he  had  been  orally  instructed 
(lit.  catechised)).  In  this  catechetical  work  Peter, 
in  Jerusalem,  took  a  leading  part  from  the  first, 
teaching  in  Aramaic.  At  some  later  period,  when 
Peter  had  left  Jerusalem  for  ministry  among 
Greek-speaking  peoples,  Mark  became  his  inter- 
preter, turning  his  master's  Aramaic  sections  into 
Greek ;  and  at  a  later  period  still  (whether  before 
or  after  Peter's  death)  he  wrote  down  all  that  he 
remembered  of  the  teaching  which  he  had  so  often 
heard  and  translated.  It  will  be  noted  that  Papias 
relies  for  his  information  upon  the  Elder  (or 
Presbyter);  that  is,  on  the  enigmatical  John  the 
Elder  (prominent  in  discussion  on  the  authorship  of 


12   Westminster  New  Testament 

the  Fourth  Gospel),  to  whom  he  also  makes 
reference  in  describing  the  sources  of  which  he  had 
availed  himself  in  compiling  his  "Exposition  of 
Oracles  of  the  Lord  "  :  "  If  any  should  chance  to 
come  my  way  who  had  been  a  follower  of  the  elders, 
I  would  question  him  as  to  what  was  said  by 
Andrew  or  Peter  or  Philip  or  Thomas  or  James 
or  John  or  Matthew  or  any  other  of  the  disciples 
of  the  Lord,  and  what  Aristion  and  John  the 
Elder  say."  This  passage  does  not  fall  for  dis- 
cussion here  (for  a  suggestion  that  the  last  twelve 
verses  of  St.  Mark  are  due  to  Aristion,  see  below, 
II.  5),  but  it  is  evident  that  this  testimony  to  a 
Petrine  basis  for  Mark's  Gospel  goes  back  very 
near  to  Apostolic  days.  Even  M.  Loisy  (speaking 
however  not  of  our  present  Gospel,  but  of  its 
supposed  original  substratum,  edited  and  amplified 
by  a  later  compiler),  writes  :  "  A  special  and  direct 
relation  of  this  first  author  to  Peter  is  possible, 
even  probable.  .  .  .  Nothing  prevents  the  admission 
that  a  disciple  of  Peter  received  from  the  very 
mouth  of  the  Apostle  this  series  of  souvenirs." 
Some  indications  of  Petrine  influence,  not  very 
prominent  or  decisive,  may  be  gathered  from  the 
Gospel  itself.  But  it  must  be  observed  that  all  that 
has  been  said  in  this  section  leaves  large  questions 
still  open.  Does  the  testimony  of  Papias  refer  to 
what  we  know  as  the  Gospel  according  to  St. 
Mark  ?  Even  if  it  does,  is  it  trustworthy  in  this, 
or  is  it  possible  that  a  tradition  originally  relating 
to  a  Petrine  source  (perhaps  reduced  to  writing  by 
Mark)  had  attached  itself  to  a  later  work  (our 
present  Gospel)  in  which  that  source  was  incorpor- 
ated ?  And  if  so,  how  much  of  the  Gospel  is  due 
to  the  first  and  credible  author  who  records  Peter's 


St.  Mark  i3 

teaching,  and  how  much  to  the  less  trustworthy 
later  editor  ?  These  questions,  gravely  affecting  as 
they  do  the  value  of  any  inferences  as  to  the 
historical  truth  of  the  Gospel  which  might  be 
drawn  from  its  traditional  association  with  the 
Apostle  Peter,  must  be  briefly  considered  below. 
Meanwhile,  however,  we  note  that  almost  by 
common  consent  "it  seems  safe  to  assume  as  a 
working  theory  of  the  origination  of  the  Gospel, 
that  its  main  source  is  the  teaching  of  St.  Peter  " 
(Dr.  Swete). 

3.  Relation  of  St.  Mark  to  the  other  Synoptics.  It 
has  already  been  noted  (I.  3)  that  practically  the 
whole  substance  of  St.  Mark  appears  either  in  St. 
Matthew  or  in  St.  Luke  or  in  both.  Moreover,  this 
resemblance  between  the  three  Gospels  is  not  con- 
fined to  their  choice  of  the  same  cycle  of  events 
(significant  when  it  is  remembered  that  between 
them  they  contain  only  fragmentary  memoirs  of 
our  Lord's  ministry) :  they  relate  these  events 
substantially  in  the  same  order  and  to  a  great 
extent  in  identical  language.  This  means  that 
they  cannot  be  independent  records :  they  draw 
upon  some  common  source,  either  written  (as  the 
numerous  and  striking  verbal  identities  would 
suggest)  or  oral  (which  would  better  explain  the 
numerous  differences  in  language,  often  slight  and 
apparently  motiveless  if  they  are  using  the  same 
document).  The  difficulty  of  the  Synoptic  Problem 
(of  which  no  extended  discussion  is  here  possible) 
is  to  frame  a  theory  of  the  interdependence  of  the 
Synoptic  Gospels  which  will  account  both  for  the 
resemblances  and  for  the  differences.  It  may  be 
affirmed,  broadly  speaking,  that  it  is  now  generally 
agreed  that  the    Synoptics  are  derived   from  two 


H 


Westminster  New  Testament 


main  sources :  the  one  a  narrative  source,  containing 
the  outline  of  the  Ministry  as  given  by  Mark, 
the  other  a  compilation  of  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  very 
probably  to  be  identified  with  the  work  ascribed  to 
Matthew  by  Papias  in  the  well-known  statement, 
"Matthew  composed  the  Logia  (Sayings)  in  the 
Hebrew  dialect,  and  each  one  interpreted  them  as 
he  was  able."  The  former  of  these  sources  appears 
most  simply  in  St.  Mark  ;  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Luke 
combine  with  it  the  other  source  (perhaps  using 
different  editions),  while  St.  Luke  (as  his  preface 
tells  us)  gathered  additional  material  of  his  own. 
The  principal  questions  still  under  debate  are  these  : 
(1)  Was  the  narrative  source  oral  or  written? 
(The  general  opinion  is  that  it  is  easier  to  account 
for  the  differences,  assuming  it  to  be  written,  than 
for  the  identities,  assuming  it  to  be  oral ;  but  see 
W.N.T.  St.  Matthew,  Introd.  p.  5.)  (2)  Did  St. 
Mark  know  and  make  any  use  of  the  "teaching 
source"?  (3)  Did  the  three  Synoptists  make 
common  use  of  an  earlier  "  narrative  source,"  nearly 
agreeing  in  scope  with  our  Second  Gospel,  but  not 
to  be  identified  with  it  ?  In  this  case  St.  Mark  is 
secondary,  one  of  three  editions  of  a  more  primitive 
source,  which  may  have  been  considerably  modi- 
fied and  added  to  in  the  process  of  editing.  Or 
may  we  dispense  with  this  theory  of  a  "  primitive 
Mark  "  (Urmarkus),  identify  the  "  narrative  source  " 
with  our  Second  Gospel,  and  affirm  that  St.  Matthew 
and  St.  Luke  used  St.  Mark,  combining  the  Logia 
(and  other  lesser  sources)  with  his  story  of  "the 
things  said  or  done  by  the  Christ "  ?  If  so,  St. 
Mark  is  the  earliest  of  the  Synoptics,  and  may  well 
represent  (with  some  amount  of  editorial  revision) 
the  Petrine  memoirs  which  early  tradition  (see  above, 


St.  Mark  15 

II.  2)  connects  with  Mark  "  the  disciple  and  inter- 
preter of  Peter." 

It  is  the  third  of  the  questions  which  specially 
concerns  the  student  of  this  Gospel.  And  here  it 
can  only  be  affirmed  that,  in  the  present  stage  of 
critical  opinion,  the  view  just  referred  to  may  fairly 
be  said  to  prevail.  There  is  really  no  ground  for 
regarding  St.  Mark  as  the  heterogeneous,  inartistic, 
and  untrustworthy  compilation  to  which  M.  Loisy 
reduces  it  (see  I.  4) ;  against  such  criticism  there 
is  a  valid  counter  appeal  to  the  broad  impression 
produced  by  the  book  even  upon  the  uncritical  but 
receptive  reader :  see  I.  3  (a),  (b).  Dr.  Swete, 
while  reserving  opinion  as  to  the  nature  and  ex- 
tent of  editorial  revision  which  St.  Mark's  original 
has  undergone,  puts  it  on  record  that  he  rose  from 
his  study  of  the  Gospel  with  a  strong  sense  of  the 
unity  of  the  work :  the  present  writer  can  only 
echo  that  judgment,  with  its  rejection  of  the 
hypothesis  of  a  "primitive  Mark"  of  unknown 
contents.  The  "  narrative  source "  used  by  the 
other  Synoptics  was  certainly  in  substance  nearly 
identical  with  St.  Mark,  not  with  some  attenuated 
precursor  of  that  Gospel ;  and  the  argument  for 
their  actual  use  of  St.  Mark  is  too  strong  to  be 
vitiated  by  their  divergences  from  him.  They  give 
virtually  the  whole  of  his  facts,  in  the  same  order 
(for  even  when  they  depart  from  his  order  it  can  be 
shown  that  they  are  aware  of  it,  and  that  the 
variation  is  due  to  their  introduction  of  fresh 
material),  continually  in  the  same  language.  At 
times  their,  narrative  shows  deliberate  condensation 
of  Mark's  fuller  record  (see  the  commentary)  or 
modification  of  an  expression  which  might  offend  or 
be  found   obscure   (notable   instances   are    Mark's 


16   Westminster  New  Testament 

"He  could  there  do  no  mighty  work/'  vi.  5,  com- 
pared with  Matthew's  "And  he  did  not  many 
mighty  works  there/'  xiii.  58  ;  Mark's  mysterious 
prediction,  "  But  when  ye  see  the  abomination  of 
desolation  standing  where  he  ought  not/'  xiii.  14, 
paiiially  explained  by  Matthew,  "When  therefore 
ye  see  the  abomination  of  desolation,  which  was 
spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet,  standing  in  the 
holy  place,"  xxiv.  15,  interpreted  by  Luke,  "But 
when  ye  see  Jerusalem  encompassed  by  armies," 
xxi.  20).  All  this  (together  with  other  indications 
of  secondary  treatment  of  the  common  source  in 
the  First  and  Third  Gospels)  makes  for  the  priority 
of  St.  Mark,  and  if  the  impression  of  the  unity  of 
his  work,  already  referred  to,  is  valid,  it  is  reason- 
able to  regard  this  Gospel  as  a  primitive  source  for 
the  main  facts  of  our  Lord's  ministry,  and  to  accept 
the  tradition  that,  in  the  main,  it  is  based  upon  the 
eye-witness  of  an  Apostle.  The  objection  that 
the  somewhat  grudging  terms  of  Papias'  witness 
(II.  2)  seem  rather  to  suit  a  work  less  com- 
plete and  orderly  than  our  present  Gospel  of  St. 
Mark  may  be  met  by  the  fact  that  the  witness 
comes  from  a  circle  (Ephesus)  in  which  the  Fourth 
Gospel,  with  its  elaborate  plan  and  didactic  purpose, 
was  the  standard  of  comparison :  the  suggestion 
that  Papias  (or  the  Elder)  is  inventing  the  best 
excuse  he  can  for  an  unsatisfactory  and  anonymous 
work  which  had  already  gained  circulation,  is 
without  foundation.  Of  course,  if  criticism  must 
bring  to  its  task  of  analysis  and  historical  estimate 
of  the  Gospel  certain  presuppositions — that  Jesus 
could  not  have  worked  miracles,  or  believed  Himself 
to  be  the  Messiah,  or  predicted  His  death  (still  less 
have  spoken  of  it  as  a  "  ransom  for  many,"  x.  45, 


St.  Mark  17 

or  have  used  concerning  it  the  language  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  xiv.  22-24),  or,  in  the  plain  meaning 
of  the  word,  have  "risen"  from  the  dead — the 
case  is  radically  altered.  It  may  still  remain 
possible  to  distinguish  in  Mark's  work  a  slender 
thread  of  history,  and,  especially,  of  the  actual 
teaching  of  Jesus,  but  all  that  is  most  characteristic 
becomes  due  to  the  after-play  of  Christian  thinking 
upon  the  facts.  The  Gospel  will  appear  to  be 
steeped  in  Pauline  ideas  concerning  the  Person 
and  Work  of  Christ :  instead  of  supposing  that  the 
history  created  the  faith,  we  must  believe  in  the 
strange  process  of  faith  creating  history,  and  see 
every  part  of  Mark's  story  dominated  and  fashioned 
by  a  desire  to  bring  the  facts  into  accord  with  the 
beliefs  of  the  early  Christian  community.  This 
"  earliest  of  the  Synoptics "  (and,  we  may  add, 
this  chief  authority  for  any  knowledge  we 
possess  of  the  historical  facts  concerning  Jesus) 
"is  as  to  its  object  and  character  much  more  a 
work  of  faith  than  a  testimony  of  history,"  and 
it  follows  naturally  that  it  "cannot  have  been 
written  by  a  disciple  of  Peter"  (Loisy).  Such 
criticism  must  for  the  present  be  left  to  work  out 
its  own  destiny,  and  solve  (if  it  can)  the  new  set 
of  problems  it  raises  as  to  how  this  "faith,"  bereft 
of  its  historical  foundation,  ever  came  to  be,  and  to 
energise  so  mightily  that  it  created  a  "history" 
which  has  won  belief,  inspired  devotion,  fashioned 
conduct  and  character,  wrought  for  the  world's 
progress  as  never  did  history  before  or  since.  The 
alleged  prominence  of  Pauline  ideas  is  open  to  the 
judgment  of  any  careful  student  ("The  Paulinism 
of  Mark  does  not  amount  to  very  much  "  (Menzies)  ; 
"  St.  Mark  does  not  write  with  a  dogmatic  purpose  " 


18  Westminster  New  Testament 

(Swete)) ;  so,  too,  is  the  estimate  of  the  book  to 
which  M.  Loisy's  critical  principles  lead  him  (see 
again,  I.  4  and  I.  3).  Meanwhile  we  may  believe 
that  the  substance  of  the  Synoptic  Gospels  rests 
securely  upon  the  twofold  historical  foundation  of 
this  Gospel  of  Mark  who  "  became  the  interpreter 
of  Peter,"  and  that  other  collection  of  our  Lord's 
teaching,  no  less  authoritative,  which  tradition 
ascribes  to  the  Apostle  Matthew. 

4.  Destination  and  Date.  There  is  a  strong 
ancient  tradition  (now  generally  accepted)  that 
Mark  wrote  in  Rome  and  for  the  Roman  Church. 
This  accords  with  the  swiftness  and  vigour  of  the 
narrative,  especially  in  its  emphasis  on  the  power  of 
Jesus,  see  I.  3  (a),  and  with  the  subordination  of  the 
Jewish  element  (few  references  to  the  fulfilment  of 
O.T.  Scriptures)  ;  it  receives  confirmation  from  the 
explanation  of  Aramaic  words  (iii.  17,  v.  41,  vii.  11, 
34,  xv.  22,  34)  and  of  Jewish  customs  (vii.  3,  4, 
xiv.  12,  xv.  42).  The  argument  from  the  use  of 
Latin  words  is  not  decisive,  because  these  had  pro- 
bably passed  into  the  current  Greek,  which  was 
now  the  literary  language  of  the  Empire  ;  but  it  is 
at  least  noteworthy  that  these  Latinisms  are  nearly 
twice  as  numerous  in  St.  Mark  as  in  either  St. 
Matthew  or  St.  Luke. 

As  to  the  date :  if  the  Gospel  was  written  after 
the  death  of  Peter,  as  Irenaeus  says,  and  before  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem,  as  seems  to  be  implied 
by  xiii.  2,  its  composition  falls  between  65  and 
70  a.d.  The  apocalyptic  sections  of  the  discourse 
in  chap,  xiii.,  especially  vers.  14-19,  suggest  that 
the  catastrophe  was  imminent.  These  indications, 
together  with  the  natural  inference  from  ix.  1  that 
some,  if  not  most,  of  the  followers   of  Jesus  had 


St.  Mark  i9 

already  passed  away  before  the  prediction  found 
fulfilment,  warrant  the  conclusion  that  the  Gospel 
was  written  shortly  before  the  fateful  year  70. 

5.  The  last  twelve  verses.  It  may  now  be  regarded 
as  an  assured  finding  of  criticism  that  these  verses 
are  not  part  of  St.  Mark's  Gospel.  The  internal 
evidence  (in  itself  really  decisive  for  their  rejection, 
see  notes  on  xvi.  9-20)  is  confirmed  by  the  external 
testimony.  It  is  true  that  the  ending  has  place 
in  the  enormous  majority  of  witnesses  to  the  text ; 
but  in  textual  criticism  mere  numbers  count  for 
nothing.  Eusebius  testifies  that  in  nearly  all  the 
MSS  current  in  his  time  "  The  End  "  of  the  Gospel 
was  marked  at  the  words  "for  they  were  afraid." 
The  R.V.  has  a  space  after  ver.  8,  and  notes  in  the 
margin  that  the  verses  are  omitted  by  the  two  oldest 
Greek  MSS  (the  Vatican  and  the  Sinaitic)  and  by 
some  other  authorities  (one  MS.  of  the  Old  Latin, 
MSS  of  the  Ethiopic,  and  the  Sinaitic  Syriac 
found  in  1892).  Further,  the  R.V.  margin  also 
states  that  "  some  other  authorities  have  a  different 
ending  to  the  Gospel."  This  shorter  ending  is 
found,  without  the  longer,  in  the  Old  Latin  copy 
just  referred  to,  and,  as  an  alternative  to  the  longer, 
in  several  Greek  MSS,  and  Versions.  It  runs  thus  : 
"But  all  that  was  enjoined  them  they  reported 
briefly  to  Peter  and  those  with  him.  And  after 
this,  Jesus  himself  appeared  to  them,  and  from 
the  east  and  as  far  as  to  the  west  sent  forth 
through  them  the  holy  and  incorruptible  proclama- 
tion of  eternal  salvation." 

As  compared  with  the  longer  ending,  the  evidence 
extant  shows  the  shorter  one  to  have  had  a  very 
limited  currency,  but  its  existence  throws  light  on 
the  traditional   conclusion   to   the    Gospel.     Both 


20  Westminster  New  Testament 

endings  are  in  fact  attempts  to  fill  an  obvious 
blank  in  this  final  page  of  Mark's  story,  which 
brings  the  women  to  the  empty  tomb,  records  the 
angelic  vision,  with  its  announcement  that  Jesus  is 
risen  from  the  dead,  prepares  for  appearances  in 
Galilee  of  the  risen  Lord,  and  then  abruptly  ends 
with  the  amazing  anti-climax,  "  and  they  said 
nothing  to  any  one,  for  they  were  afraid."  Various 
suggestions  are  offered  as  to  the  cause  of  this 
abrupt  conclusion  —  an  interrupted  task,  a  lost 
leaf,  suppression  by  Church  authority.  It  seems 
certain  that  Mark,  master  of  vivid  and  effective 
narrative,  cannot  have  intended  to  break  off  his 
story  at  this  point  (although  M.  Loisy  finds  that 
the  fact  of  the  empty  tomb  is  recorded  as  sufficient 
evidence  of  the  Resurrection,  and  that  this  incon- 
clusive argument,  together  with  the  inartistic 
and  impotent  ending,  are  quite  characteristic  of 
our  author's  incapacity  for  logical  thinking  or  for 
literary  form  !).  There  we  must  leave  it,  as  yet  an 
unexplained  problem. 

A  suggestion  as  to  the  authorship  of  the  longer 
conclusion  (due  to  Mr.  F.  C.  Conybeare,  in  1891) 
has  gained  some  acceptance.  In  an  Armenian  MS. 
examined  by  him,  dated  986  a.d.,  the  section 
Mark  xvi.  9-20  is  prefaced  by  the  heading  "Of 
the  presbyter  Ariston."  If,  as  surmised  by  Mr. 
Conybeare,  this  Ariston  is  to  be  identified  with 
the  Aristion  mentioned  by  Papias  (see  II.  2),  the 
fragment  is  of  high  antiquity  and  of  notable 
authorship :  as  a  summary  of  the  post-Resurrection 
history  current  in  Ephesus  under  the  influence  of 
St.  John,  early  in  the  second  century,  it  may  have 
been  judged  "  worthy  to  complete  the  unfinished 
work  of  the  Evangelist"  (Swete).    This  is  interesting 


St.  Mark 


21 


conjecture ;  but  some  misgiving  perhaps  remains 
as  to  whether  the  summary  in  itself  does  great 
credit  to  the  authorship  of  one  so  near  Apostolic 
days  and  held  in  the  repute  accorded  to  Aristion ; 
and  as  to  how  it  could,  by  responsible  authority, 
have  ever  been  deemed  a  suitable  continua- 
tion of  Mark's  graphic  but  unfinished  stoiy  of  the 
Resurrection. 


Mark  i.  i. 

THE  TITLE. 

i  The  beginning  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus   Christ,  the  Son 
of  God ; 

The  verse  stands  detached,  as  a  brief  but 
suggestive  title  to  the  whole  book. 

1.  The  beginning.  Probably  refers  to  the 
starting-point  adopted  by  the  author  in  the  ministry 
of  John  the  Baptist  (cf.  Acts  i.  22) :  no  introduc- 
tory matter  such  as  each  of  the  other  Evangelists 
contributes. 

the  gospel.  The  term  is  not  here  applied  to 
a  book,  a  usage  dating  from  the  second  century, 
but  to  a  message  of  good  tidings.  This  message 
was  from  God  and  was  proclaimed  by  Jesus  (ver.  14). 
As  the  beginning  of  this  "gospel"  was  the  testi- 
mony of  John  the  Baptist,  the  phrase  here  seems 
rather  to  mean  the  gospel  concerning  Jesus  Christ 
than  proclaimed  by  Him :  the  good  news  is 
identified  with  the  story  of  what  He  was  and  did 
and  taught  and  suffered.  The  word  occurs  also  in 
vers.  14,  15,  viii.  35,  x.  29,  xiii.  10,  xiv.  9,  xvi.  15, 
and  elsewhere  in  the  Gospels  only  in  Matt.  iv.  23, 
ix.  35,  xxiv.  14  ("the  gospel  of  the  kingdom"); 
xxvi.  13. 

Jesus  Christ.  The  double  name  marks  the 
completion  of  faith  in  Jesus  as  the  Messiah.     It  is 


St.  Mark  i.  2-8  23 

frequent  in  Paul,  very  rare  in  the  Gospels  (Matt.  i. 
1,  18  (xvi.  21)  ;  John  i.  17,  xvii.  3). 

the  Son  of  God.  R.V.  marg.  omits.  Else- 
where in  the  Gospel  the  title  refers  to  the  mission 
of  Jesus  rather  than  to  His  nature :  it  attests  the 
Divine  source  of  His  office  as  God's  representative 
(i.  11,  iii.  11,  v.  7,  ix.  7,  xv.  39  (see  n.) ;  compare 
Ps.  ii.  7).  Here  we  may  see  in  it  an  expression 
of  the  writer's  own  belief  concerning  the  Person 
of  Christ.  The  story  he  sets  out  to  write  is  a 
"  gospel,"  centring  in  Jesus,  who  was  Messiah  and 
the  very  Son  of  God. 


Mark  i.  2-8;  cf.  Matt.  iii.  i-i2=Luke  iii.  1-18. 
JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

2  as  it  is  written  in  the  Prophets,  Behold,  I  send  my 
messenger  before  thy  face,  which   shall  prepare   thy  way 

3  before  thee.  The  voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness, 
Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight. 

4  John  did  baptize  in  the  wilderness,  and  preach  the  baptism 

5  of  repentance  for  the  remission  of  sins.  And  there  went 
out  unto  him  all  the  land  of  Judaea,  and  they  of  Jerusalem, 
and  were  all  baptized  of  him  in  the  river  of  Jordan,  con- 

6  fessing  their  sins.  And  John  was  clothed  with  camel's 
hair,  and  with  a  girdle  of  a  skin  about  his  loins  ;  and  he 

7  did  eat  locusts  and  wild  honey ;  and  preached,  saying, 
There  cometh  one  mightier  than  I  after  me,  the  latchet  of 
whose  shoes  I  am  not  worthy  to  stoop  down  and  unloose. 

8  I  indeed  have  baptized  you  with  water :  but  he  shall 
baptize  you  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

1.  John  the  Baptist  appears  in  each  of  the  four 
Gospels  as  the  forerunner  of  Jesus.     His  ministry 


24   Westminster  New  Testament 

has  a  double  aspect.  (1)  It  is  a  denunciation  of 
national  sin,  a  call  to  repentance  in  view  of  the 
near  approach  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  thundered 
forth  by  a  prophet  in  "the  spirit  and  power  of 
Elijah"  (Luke  i.  17,  vii.  24-28).  This  fearless 
preaching  of  righteousness  is  described  in  fuller 
detail  in  Matthew  and  Luke.  (2)  The  success  of 
this  religious  revival  led  to  a  quickened  expectation 
of  Messiah  and,  according  to  Luke  (iii.  15),  to  a 
surmise  that  John  himself  was  the  Christ.  John 
disavows  the  title,  and  predicts  the  coming  of  a 
mightier  One,  with  whose  ministry  his  own  is  set 
in  humble  contrast.  Hence  his  mission  assumes  a 
preparatoiy  value,  emphasised  in  the  Synoptics  and 
in  Acts  (i.  22,  x.  SI,  xiii.  23,  24),  and  an  evidential 
one,  on  which  the  Fourth  Gospel  lays  special  stress. 
The  need  of  such  "spade-work"  prior  to  the 
greatest  religious  movements  may  be  illustrated 
from  Luke  i.  77  :  John  was  to  recall  his  country- 
men to  the  truth  proclaimed  by  the  prophets  of 
Israel,  that  the  only  real  "salvation"  for  a  people 
lies  in  repentance  and  forgiveness  of  sins.  Note, 
too,  how  in  the  last  crowded  months  of  His 
ministry  our  Lord  anticipates  His  own  coming  by 
sending  the  seventy  disciples  to  prepare  His  way 
(Luke  x.  1). 

2.  as.  The  word  introduces  a  comparison  be- 
tween prediction  and  fulfilment,  which  is  either 
left  unfinished  or  (as  in  R.V.)  is  completed  in  ver.  4  : 
"  Even  as  it  is  written  .  .  .  John  came." 

in  the  prophets.  R.V.,  "in  Isaiah  the 
prophet."  "The  prophets"  is  probably  a  copyist's 
emendation,  to  cover  the  quotation  from  Malachi 
which  is  linked  (by  Mark  alone)  with  that  from 
Isaiah. 


St.  Mark  i.  2-8  25 

Behold,  etc.  From  Mai.  iii.  1,  applied  by  Christ 
Himself  to  John's  mission  (Matt.  xi.  10  ;  Luke  vii. 
27 :  the  similar  prediction  of  Mai.  iv.  5,  of  the  coming 
of  "  Elijah/'  is  also  regarded  as  fulfilled  in  John  the 
Baptist,  ix.  12  ;  Matt.  xvii.  11  ;  Luke  i.  16, 17).  The 
prophet  thinks  of  a  herald  of  Divine  judgment, 
and  this  element  is  conspicuous  in  John's  con- 
ception of  Messiah  (Matt.  iii.  12 ;  Luke  iii.  17). 
Was  it  wonderful  that,  when  in  prison  he  heard  of 
the  gracious  words  and  works  of  Jesus,  he  sent  to 
ask,  "  Art  thou  he  that  cometh  ?  "  (Matt.  xi.  2-6  ; 
Luke  vii.  18-23)? 

3.  The  voice,  etc.  From  Isa.  xl.  3,  a  pro- 
phecy of  deliverance  addressed  to  the  exiles  in 
Babylon.  As  the  forerunner  of  an  Eastern  monarch 
sees  that  where  the  king  journeys  his  road  is  cleared 
of  all  obstacles,  so  this  impersonal  "  voice  "  summons 
Israel,  in  bold  metaphor,  to  cut  straight  through 
the  desert  which  lay  between  Babylon  and  Jeru- 
salem a  highway  for  their  God.  To  each  of  the 
Synoptists  John  the  Baptist  is  this  herald-voice, 
while  in  the  Fourth  Gospel  he  himself  appropriates 
the  simile  (John  i.  23).  Luke  gives  the  quotation 
more  fully,  for  the  sake  of  its  closing  words  :  "  And 
all  flesh  shall  see  the  salvation  of  God  "  (Luke  iii.  6  ; 
compare  ii.  30). 

in  the  wilderness.  In  the  Hebrew  of  Isa.  xl.  3 
the  words  connect  with  what  follows  (see  R.V.) : 
here,  as  in  LXX  and  Vulgate,  with  added  point  for 
the  fulfilment  in  John  the  Baptist.  The  wilder- 
ness of  Judaea  in  which  he  preached,  between 
Jerusalem  and  the  Red  Sea,  stands  for  the  vast 
Arabian  Desert  of  the  prophecy. 

the  Lord.  In  the  prophecy  Jehovah,  in  the 
application  Jesus,  to  whom  the  Divine  doings  and 


26   Westminster  New  Testament 

attributes  of  the  O.T.  Scriptures  are  freely  trans- 
ferred by  the  N.T.  writers. 

4.  John  did  baptize.  R.V.,  "John  came,  who 
baptized."  Whether  John's  baptism  was  suggested 
by  the  baptism  of  proselytes  to  Judaism,  or  by  the 
ceremonial  u  washings  "  (vii.  3,  4),  the  prominence 
given  to  it  in  the  narrative  and  his  title  of  "  the 
Baptist "  mark  it  out  as  a  new  and  distinctive  rite 
of  his  ministry.  The  immersion  of  his  converts  in 
the  Jordan  typifies  not  a  ceremonial  but  a  moral 
cleansing  :  it  is  a  baptism  characterised  by  repent- 
tance,  accompanied  by  public  confession  (ver.  5),  and 
therefore  an  act  directed  towards  and  resulting  in 
the  forgiveness  of  sins.  In  Christian  baptism 
the  same  moral  elements  appear,  but  with  the 
significant  additions  of  "the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  " 
and  "  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit "  (Acts  ii.  38  ; 
xix.  1-6). 

remission.  In  iii.  29  the  same  word  is 
rendered  "forgiveness,"  and  the  corresponding 
verb  is  the  great  N.T.  word  "to  forgive,"  the 
root  idea  being  that  of  release  from  a  debt  (com- 
pare Matt.  vi.  12  with  Luke  xi.  4). 

5.  The  appearance  of  this  new  prophet  stirred 
the  whole  nation.  Luke  specifies  publicans  and 
soldiers  as  well  as  "  the  multitudes "  ;  Matthew, 
"  many  of  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees,"  but  upon 
this  class,  at  least,  John  made  no  abiding  impression. 
See  xi.  31;  Matt.  xi.  18. 

6.  The  dress  of  a  prophet  and  food  of  an  ascetic. 
Compare  Elijah,  2  Kings  i.  8,  R.V.  marg. ;  also 
Matt.  xi.  18. 

7.  preached.  The  proclamation  of  the  coming 
Messiah  is  here  set  down  simply  as  a  separate 
stage  or  element  in  John's  preaching.     In  Matthew 


St.  Mark  i.  9-1 1  27 

and  Luke  the  thought  of  judgment  is  prominent, 
making  the  prophecy  an  urgent  motive  to  repent- 
ance, 
the  latchet  of  whose  shoes.    The  coming 

One  is  therefore  human,  yet  so  exalted  that  John 
is  not  worthy  to  do  for  him  the  offices  of  the 
meanest  slave,  stoop  down  is  peculiar  to  Mark, 
one  of  his  picturesque  touches. 

8.  water  .  .  .  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  con- 
trast marks  John's  sense  of  the  insufficiency  of  his 
work.  Human  sin  needs  deeper  remedy  than 
repentance  and  the  water  symbolic  of  moral  cleans- 
ing :  it  must  be  driven  out  and  replaced  by  the 
affections  and  energies  of  a  new  life,  a  life  of  spirit 
of  which  the  only  source  and  maintenance  is  the 
Spirit  of  God.  This  gift  to  men  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
is  an  element  in  Messianic  prophecy  (Joel  ii. 
28,  29 ;  Isa.  xliv.  3 ;  Ezek.  xxxvi.  25-27),  and  is 
realised  through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  (Acts  ii.  1-4, 
xi.  15-17;  xix.  1-7;  Rom.  viii.  1-17;  John  iii. 
1-8).  The  instability  of  repentance  not  supple- 
mented by  the  control  of  new  impulses  and 
aspirations  is  impressively  illustrated  by  the 
parable  of  Matt.  xii.  43-45. 

Matthew  and  Luke  add  "and  with  fire,"  i.e.,  as 
the  next  verse  shows,  the  fire  of  judgment,  a  feature 
already  noted  as  more  prominent  in  their  account 
of  John  the  Baptist  than  in  that  of  Mark. 


Mark  i.  9-1 1  ;  cf.  Matt.  iii.  13-17  =  Luke  iii.  21-22. 

THE  BAPTISM  OF  JESUS. 

9  And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  Jesus  came  from 
Nazareth  of  Galilee,  and  was  baptized  of  John  in  Jordan. 


28  Westminster  New  Testament 

io  And  straightway  coming  up  out  of  the  water,  he  saw  the 
heavens  opened,  and   the   Spirit  like  a  dove  descending 

1 1  upon  him  :  and  there  came  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying, 
Thou  art  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased. 

This  entrance  of  JesilS  upon  the  scene  is  dramatic 
in  its  simplicity.  We  have  heard  nothing  of  Him 
or  of  His  home  in  Nazareth.  Mark's  own  preface 
(ver.  1)  would  seem  to  exclude  Him  from  any 
personal  concern  with  a  "baptism  of  repentance 
for  the  remission  of  sins."  Yet,  without  comment, 
the  fact  is  recorded  that  He  came,  as  one  of  the 
crowd  attracted  to  John's  ministry,  and  with  the 
rest  submitted  to  John's  rite  of  baptism.  Was  He 
personally  known  to  John  His  kinsman  (Luke  i.  36), 
and  already  recognised  by  him  as  his  predicted 
u  mightier  One  "  (Matt.  iii.  14)  ?  Mark  gives  no 
hint,  and  raises  no  question  as  to  the  motive  or 
fitness  of  the  baptism  of  Jesus  by  John  (Matt.  iii. 
14,  15).  He  tells  quite  simply  and  naturally  that 
Jesus  identified  Himself  with  this  national  move- 
ment of  righteousness  (so  Matt.  iii.  1 5),  and  tells  it 
for  the  sake  of  something  that  now  happened  in 
the  consciousness  of  Jesus.  To  others  John's 
baptism  was  "  with  water  "  only  :  to  Him  it  brought 
the  full  endowment  of  the  Spirit,  the  assurance  of 
His  Divine  Sonship. 

10.  straightway.  The  word  is  characteristic 
of  Mark's  swift  and  vivid  story,  occurring  forty- 
two  times  (eleven  times  in  this  chapter),  seven 
times  in  Matthew,  once  only  in  Luke. 

Opened.  Literally  u  rending  asunder."  A  more 
graphic  word  than  the  "opened"  of  Matthew  and 
Luke.  Luke  adds  the  characteristic  touch  that 
the  vision  came  as  Jesus  was  praying. 


St.  Mark  i.  9-1 1  29 

the  Spirit.  Matthew,  "  the  Spirit  of  God "  ; 
Luke,  "  the  Holy  Spirit." 

dove.  A  familiar  symbol  of  gentleness  (Matt. 
x.  16),  not  without  reference  to  the  fluttering 
motion  of  a  bird.  Luke  adds  "in  bodily  form/' 
and  suggests  an  occurrence  observed  by  others, 
while  in  the  Fourth  Gospel  the  sign  is  for  John 
the  Baptist  (John  i.  33).  But  the  narrative  here 
records  a  personal  experience  of  Jesus.  He  must 
have  told  it  to  His  disciples,  Himself  choosing 
this  metaphor  of  the  dove  to  describe  the  im- 
pressions of  that  supreme  moment.     Compare 

"He  came  in  semblance  of  a  dove, 
With  sheltering  wings  outspread," 

and  the  experience  of  Pentecost, 

"  He  came  in  tongues  of  living  flame, 
To  teach,  convince,  subdue  ; 
All  powerful  as  the  wind  He  came, 
As  viewless  too." 

11.  a  voice    from  heaven.     At   two  other 

crises  in  the  life  of  Jesus  the  same  voice  speaks 
to  Him :  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration, 
when  the  ending  of  the  Galilaean  ministry  and 
Peter's  confession  summoned  Him  to  enter  upon 
"  the  way  of  the  Cross,"  and  again  when,  in  the 
story  of  the  Fourth  Gospel,  the  message  that 
certain  (t  Greeks "  were  seeking  Him  was  the 
signal  that  now  at  last  His  hour  was  come 
(John  xii.  20-32). 

my  beloved  Son,  etc.  The  heavenly  message 
comes  to  Jesus  in  the  familiar  language  of  O.T. 
Scriptures  (see  Ps.  ii.  7;  Isa.  xlii.  1).  It  declares 
Him  God's  Son,  designated  to  His  office  and  task 


30  Westminster  New  Testament 

by  Divine  appointment,  and  object  of  the  Divine 
love  and  satisfaction.  In  Him  are  fulfilled  the 
imperfect  types  of  God's  ancient  messengers  and 
chosen  people.  There  is  some  evidence  that 
"  the  Beloved  "  was  one  of  the  current  titles  of 
the  expected  Messiah :  if  so,  we  should  rather 
render,  "  Thou  art  my  Son,  the  Beloved,"  two 
separate  descriptions  of  the  Messianic  office.  But 
in  the  Parable  of  the  Husbandmen  the  phrase 
"  beloved  son "  (xii.  6)  expresses  Christ's  con- 
sciousness of  His  intimate  relation  to  the  Father, 
and  so  perhaps  here. 

The  vision  is  for  Jesus  Himself,  and  is  not 
followed  by  any  public  claim  to  be  the  Messiah. 
From  such  recognition  He  repeatedly  shrinks 
(i.  25,  34,  43,  iii.  12,  v.  43,  vii.  36,  viii.  30,  etc. ;  see 
n.  on  ii.  10);  only  when  His  earthly  ministry  lay 
complete  behind  Him,  and  His  claims  would  be 
met,  not  with  a  mistaken  enthusiasm,  but  with 
condemnation  to  death — only  then  does  He  openly 
declare  Himself  the  Christ  (xiv.  62).  His  sense 
of  Sonship  must,  for  His  work's  sake,  be  hid  in 
His  heart  till  it  had  brought  Him  to  the  Cross. 


Mark  i.  12,  13;  cf.  Matt.  iv.  i-n  =  Luke  iv.  1-13. 
THE  TEMPTATION   OF  JESUS. 

12  And  immediately  the  spirit  driveth  him  into  the  wilder- 

13  ness.  And  he  was  there  in  the  wilderness  forty  days, 
tempted  of  Satan  ;  and  was  with  the  wild  beasts  ;  and  the 
angels  ministered  unto  him. 

The  Temptation  follows  immediately  on  the 
exaltation  of  the  Baptism,  with  its  vision  and  its 


St.  Mark  i.  12,  13  31 

voice  from  heaven.  Mark,  with  impressive  brevity, 
simply  records  the  fact;  Matthew  (iv.  1-11)  and 
Luke  (iv.  1-13)  add  a  parabolic  description  of  the 
nature  of  the  temptation.  In  the  fresh  conscious- 
ness of  His  nature  and  His  mission,  Jesus  instinct- 
ively seeks  for  solitude.  And  since  "  high  places 
are  dizzy"  and  loneliness  has  its  perils  for  faith 
and  heroic  resolve,  it  was  inevitable  that,  as  He 
pondered  upon  the  ways  by  which  He  should 
fulfil  His  destiny,  some  thoughts  should  present 
themselves  which  must  be  rejected  as  "savouring 
not  the  things  of  God,  but  the  things  of  men," 
suggestions  of  Satan.  The  fruits  of  an  acute,  pro- 
longed, and  victorious  struggle  are  apparent  in  the 
calm  strength  with  which  He  afterwards  held  on 
His  chosen  course  :  neither  friend  nor  foe  nor  any 
happening  could  break  through  the  defence  He  had 
won  in  that  lonely  conflict  with  the  powers  of  evil. 

12.  driveth.  R.V.,"driveth  him  forth."  A  more 
graphic  word  than  the  "  was  led  "  of  Matthew  and 
Luke  ;  habitually  used  of  the  "  casting  out "  of  the 
demons.  The  first  overmastering  impulse  of  the 
new  thought  and  emotion  which  possessed  Him 
was  retreat  into  the  wilderness.  Mark  and  Luke 
make  the  temptation  an  incident  of  this  retreat, 
Matthew  its  purpose  (Matt.  iv.  1). 

the  wilderness.  The  locality  can  only  be 
conjectured:  perhaps  the  remoter  solitudes  of  the 
wilderness  of  Judaea. 

13.  forty  days.  Perhaps  a  " round  number": 
compare  Ex.  xxxiv.  28  ;  1  Kings  xix.  8  ;  Acts  i.  3. 
The  temptation  is  here  represented  as  continuing 
during  the  whole  time ;  so  in  Luke,  with  the 
three  temptations  as  a  culminating  struggle  at  the 
close  of  the  forty  days.     Matthew  seems  to  imply 


32   Westminster  New  Testament 

that  the  temptation  began  after  the  prolonged 
fast. 

tempted.  Offered  a  conscious  choice  between 
good,  and  evil  made  to  look  attractive :  a  possibility 
for  a  sinless  nature,  a  necessity  for  a  holy  one. 

Satan.  A  Hebrew  word  for  an  adversary :  see 
1  Chron.  xxi.  1 ;  Ps.  cix.  6 ;  and  compare  Matt.  xvi. 
23.  As  the  Adversary  of  mankind  (Job  i.,  ii.  ;  Zech. 
iii.  1,  2),  its  Greek  equivalent  is  Diabolos  (devil), 
which  Matthew  and  Luke  use  here. 

the  wild  beasts.  A  graphic  touch  to  heighten 
the  picture  of  loneliness. 

angels.  Their  ministry  is  represented  as  con- 
tinuous during  the  temptation :  in  Matthew  at  its 
close.     Compare  Luke  xxii.  43. 


Mark  i.  14,  15;  cf.  Matt.  iv.  12-17= Luke  *v-  *4>  i£ 
THE  BEGINNING  OF  THE  MINISTRY. 

14  Now  after  that  John  was  put  in  prison,  Jesus  came  into 
Galilee,  preaching   the  Gospel   of  the  kingdom  of  God, 

15  and  saying,  The   time  is   fulfilled,   and  the  kingdom   of 
God  is  at  hand  :  repent  ye,  and  believe  the  gospel. 

The  two  previous  incidents,  both  of  them 
personal  and  preparatory,  took  place  in  Judaea : 
now  the  story  of  the  public  Ministry  of  Jesus 
opens  in  Galilee,  and  Judaea  is  not  revisited  till 
the  end  is  near  (x.  1).  He  begins  to  preach  when 
John's  voice  is  silenced  by  imprisonment :  so,  too, 
in  Matt.  iv.  12-17.  Both  Evangelists  assume  the 
arrest  of  John  as  a  known  fact,  pausing  later  in 
their  narrative  to  give  a  retrospective  account  of 


St.  Mark  i.  14,  15  33 

his  fate,  in  connection  with  Herod's  fears  (Matt, 
xiv.  1-12 ;  Mark  vi.  14-29).  Luke  avoids  this 
retrospect  by  inserting  a  brief  record  of  John's 
imprisonment  in  its  proper  sequence  (iii.  18-20), 
but  he  does  not  link  on  this  fact  with  the  com- 
mencement of  the  ministry  of  Jesus.  In  Matthew 
this  link  is  strengthened  by  the  identity  of  the 
substance  of  the  first  preaching  of  Jesus  with  that 
of  the  Baptist  (compare  Matt.  iv.  17  with  iii.  2)  ; 
Mark  gives  a  common  element  in  the  call  to 
repentance ;  Luke  describes  the  power  and 
acceptance  of  the  new  Teacher  (iv.  14,  15),  but 
reserves  any  indication  of  what  He  taught.  So  far 
as  our  Gospel  is  concerned,  the  suggestion  is  that  at 
some  interval  after  the  Temptation  the  ending  of 
John's  ministry  came  as  a  call  to  Jesus  to  begin  His 
own.  Can  we  say  anything  of  this  interval  ?  More 
specifically,  may  we  assign  to  it  the  events  related 
in  the  Fourth  Gospel  between  the  witness  of  John 
the  Baptist  to  Jesus  (John  i.  29-34)  and  the 
coming  of  Jesus  into  Galilee  recorded  at  John 
iv.  43  ?  If  so,  the  title  given  to  this  section  of 
Mark  must  be  changed,  and  our  view  of  the 
following  sections  will  be  materially  affected. 
For  Jesus  has  already  called  disciples,  wrought 
miracles,  held  high  discourse  with  Nicodemus  and 
the  woman  of  Samaria,  gained  many  followers, 
been  openly  acknowledged  as  the  Christ.  Now, 
without  prejudice  to  the  possibility  of  "harmonis- 
ing" the  two  records,  it  may  safely  be  affirmed 
that  the  Synoptic  narrative  does  not  assume  any 
knowledge  of  this  earlier  ministry.  The  im- 
pression given  in  Mark's  swift  story  is  of  a  series 
of  beginnings — the  appearance  of  a  new  Preacher, 
His  earliest  disciples,  teaching,  miracles  of  healing. 

3 


34   Westminster  New  Testament 

Each  Gospel  is  but  a  fragment.  John  tells  the 
Life  of  Christ  on  a  scheme  of  his  own ;  so  does 
Mark,  and  the  schemes  are  not  the  same.  The 
resulting  whole  impressions  may  and  must  be 
compared,  and  supplemented  from  every  other 
available  source,  with  infinite  gain  to  the  under- 
standing of  Him  who  is  the  one  inexhaustible 
theme ;  but  the  attempt  to  piece  the  two  stories 
together  in  detail  is  not  only  a  task  of  supreme 
difficulty  but  always  carries  grave  risk  of  misunder- 
standing each.  No  such  points  of  contact, 
therefore,  will  here  be  assumed  or  suggested, 
except  where  (e.g.  in  the  feeding  of  the  five 
thousand,  and  the  Last  Week)  the  narratives  clearly 
coincide. 

14.  the  gospel  of  the  kingdom  of  God. 
R.V.,  "the  gospel  of  God."  The  reading  of  the 
A.V.  is  a  combination  of  Matthew's  phrase,  "  the 
gospel  of  the  kingdom "  (Matt.  iv.  23,  ix.  35, 
xxiv.  14)  and  the  Pauline  "gospel  of  God" 
(1  Thess.  ii.  2 ;  Rom.  i.  1,  etc. ;  also  1  Pet.  iv.  17). 
Jesus  proclaimed  and  was  Himself  good  tidings 
sent  to  men  from  God  (compare  i.  1). 

15.  The  time  is  fulfilled.  Compare  Gal.  iv.  4  ; 
Rom.  xvi.  25  ;  Col.  i.  26 ;  Heb.  ix.  26.  These  and 
other  passages  show  the  profound  conviction  of  the 
early  Christian  Church  that  all  human  history  was 
a  preparation  for  Christ,  finding  in  Him,  as  did 
eveiy  prophecy  of  the  O.T.  Scriptures,  its  inter- 
pretation and  its  "  fulfilment." 

the  kingdom  of  God.  The  phrase  here 
occurs  in  the  same  connection  as  in  Matthew's 
summary  of  the  preaching  of  John  the  Baptist 
(Matt.  iii.  2),  with  evident  stress  upon  the  "  escha- 
tological "  aspect  of  the  kingdom,  a  coming  crisis 


St.  Mark  i.  16-20  35 

which  summons  to  repentance  and  faith.  The 
more  characteristic  teaching  of  Christ  concerning 
the  kingdom  is  recorded  later. 

believe  the  gospel.  R.V.,  "in  the  gospel." 
The  combination  of  the  verb  believe  with  the 
Greek  preposition  here  employed  is  unique  in 
the  N.T.  Probably  the  verb  is  to  be  taken 
absolutely,  "become  believers"  ;  i.e.,  fulfil  the  one 
condition  of  Christian  discipleship,  faith  in  God 
through  Jesus  Christ.  This  faith  needs  a  personal 
object :  the  gospel  is  represented  as  the  sphere 
in  which,  or,  as  English  idiom  would  rather  put 
it,  the  means  by  which  the  faith  may  be  attained. 

This  verse  is  rather  to  be  interpreted  as  a 
Christian  summary  of  the  preaching  of  Jesus  than 
as  any  actual  utterance  of  His  at  this  time.  His 
hearers  could  not  yet  know  what  the  gospel  was. 


Mark  i.  16-20 ;  cf.  Matt.  iv.  18-22  (Luke  v.  1-11). 
THE  CALL  OF  THE  FIRST  FOUR  DISCIPLES. 

16  Now  as  he  walked  by  the  sea  of  Galilee,  he  saw  Simon  and 
Andrew  his  brother  casting  a  net  into  the  sea  :  for  they  were 

1 7  fishers.     And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Come  ye  after  me,  and 

18  I  will  make  you  to  become  fishers  of  men.     And  straight- 

19  way  they  forsook  their  nets,  and  followed  him.  And  when 
he  had  gone  a  little  further  thence,  he  saw  James  the  son  of 
Zebedee,  and  John  his  brother,  who  also  were  in  the  ship 

20  mending  their  nets.  And  straightway  he  called  them  :  and 
they  left  their  father  Zebedee  in  the  ship  with  the  hired 
servants,  and  went  after  him. 

The   first   recorded  act  of  the  new  Preacher  is 
the  gathering  of  a  small  band  of  personal  followers. 


36  Westminster  New  Testament 

(The  word  "disciples"  does  not  occur  till  ii.  15: 
in  O.T.  only  Isa.  viii.  16.)  Luke  postpones  his 
account  of  this  (or  a  very  similar)  incident  till 
somewhat  later  in  the  Ministry,  when  the  fame 
of  Jesus  had  already  gone  abroad  (Luke  v.  1-11), 
although  in  his  narrative  also,  Simon  appears  at 
an  earlier  time  as  intimate  with  Jesus  (Luke  iv. 
38).  The  prominence  given  to  the  fact  here  (and  in 
Matthew)  at  least  suggests  its  importance  for  the 
purpose  and  method  of  Jesus.  He  made  many 
"disciples,"  adherents  more  or  less  attached  to  His 
teaching  and  to  Himself:  in  this  sense  John  the 
Baptist  and  the  Pharisees  and  Moses  had  their 
disciples  (ii.  18  ;  John  ix.  28).  But  this  "  call "  is  of 
much  greater  significance.  It  is  Jesus  who  takes 
the  initiative :  these  fishermen  are  not  gradually 
won  over  to  acceptance  of  the  new  teaching,  but 
summoned  to  personal  companionship.  The  in- 
cident prepares  us  for  the  similar  call  to  Levi 
(ii.  14),  and  for  the  sequel,  when  "  He  calleth  unto 
him  whom  he  himself  would  .  .  .  and  appointed 
twelve,  that  they  might  be  with  him,  and  that  he 
might  send  them  forth  to  preach  "  (iii.  13,  14).  For 
the  success  of  His  mission  Jesus  trusts  not  to  im- 
pression on  the  many  but  to  possession  of  the 
chosen  few.  From  the  first  His  thought  goes 
beyond  "disciples"  to  "apostles,"  His  messengers 
and  envoys  during  His  earthly  ministry,  but  most  of 
all  when  the  brief  days  of  that  ministry  should  be 
ended.  While  He  lived  they  were  disciples,  learners, 
to  whose  training  a  large  proportion  of  His  recorded 
so-called  "public  ministry"  was  devoted.  The 
name  "  apostle  "  occurs  once  only  in  Mark  (vi.  30), 
but  the  thought  runs  all  through  the  story  of  the 
disciples.     Hence  the  importance,  for  the  under- 


St.  Mark  i.  16-20  37 

standing  of  the  purpose  of  Jesus,  of  noting  carefully 
whom  He  chose  and  the  methods  by  which  He 
patiently  sought  to  fit  them  for  their  allotted  task ; 
to  change  these  disciples  into  the  Apostles  who 
became  the  foundation  of  His  Church. 

16.  Simon.  Afterwards  head  of  the  Apostolic 
band:  see  iii.  16,  where  the  surname  Pete?-  first 
occurs,  explained  Matt.  xvi.  18  (the  Aramaic 
equivalent  Cephas  is  confined  to  John  i.  43,  1  Cor., 
and  Gal.). 

Andrew.  In  the  Synoptics  simply  named  as 
the  brother  of  Simon  Peter:  some  material  for  a 
character  sketch  is  afforded  by  three  references 
in  John :  i.  41,  vi.  8,  xii.  22. 

17.  fishers  Of  men.  Compare  Jer.  xvi.  16; 
2  Tim.  ii.  26 :  a  figure  freely  adopted  for  our  Lord 
and  His  Apostles  in  early  Christian  art  and  literature. 
See  the  "  Hymn  to  Christ  the  Saviour,"  by  Clement 
of  Alexandria,  "Fisher  of  men  who  are  saved," 
etc.  Luke  (v.  10)  gives  a  corresponding  promise 
addressed  to  Simon,  "  From  henceforth  thou  shalt 
catch  (lit.  "take  alive")  men,"  the  same  word  as  in 
2  Tim.  ii.  26. 

18.  The  impression  conveyed  is  of  the  wonderful 
attractive  power  of  Jesus.  His  bare  call  to  two 
strangers  is  sufficient  to  effect  an  instant  and 
amazing  revolution  in  their  lives.  This  vivid 
impression  is  not  to  be  toned  down  by  supposing 
the  writer  to  be  aware  of  a  previous  call  in  Judaea 
(John  i.  35-42)  :  see  note  on  last  section. 

19-  Another  pair  of  brothers  in  another  boat, 
mending,  or,  as  this  would  rather  be  done  on  shore, 
preparing  their  fishing  gear  for  the  next  night's 
work. 

James  and  John.     According  to  Luke  v.   10 


38  Westminster  New  Testament 

"partners  with  Simon."  The  three  became  the 
innermost  circle  of  the  disciples  (v.  37,  ix.  2,  xiv. 
33) :  Andrew  is  linked  with  them  to  form  the  first 
group  of  four  in  each  list  of  the  Twelve ;  also  at 
xiii.  3. 

20.  The  same  imperious  call ;  more  perhaps  to 
leave,  yet  the  same  instant  obedience. 

Luke's  story  (v.  1-11)  has  considerable  variations 
and  additions.  On  the  whole,  it  seems  easier  to 
regard  the  two  accounts  as  records  of  the  same 
fact,  in  spite  of  their  differences,  than  as  records  of 
separate  facts  in  spite  of  their  essential  likeness. 


Mark  i.  21-34. 

A  SABBATH  IN  CAPERNAUM. 

I.  In  the  Synagogue  (vers.  21-28  ;  cf.  Luke 
iv.  31-37). 

21  And  they  went  into  Capernaum  ;  and  straightway  on  the 
sabbath  day  he  entered  into   the  synagogue,  and  taught. 

22  And  they  were  astonished  at  his  doctrine  :  for  he  taught 
them  as  one  that  had  authority,  and  not  as  the  scribes. 

23  And  there  was  in  their  synagogue  a  man  with  an  unclean 

24  spirit ;  and  he  cried  out,  saying,  Let  us  alone ;  what 
have  we  to  do  with  thee,  thou  Jesus  of  Nazareth  ?  art  thou 
come  to  destroy  us  ?    I  know  thee  who  thou  art,  the  Holy 

25  One  of  God.     And  Jesus  rebuked  him,  saying,  Hold  thy 

26  peace,  and  come  out  of  him.  And  when  the  unclean 
spirit  had  torn  him,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  he  came 

27  out  of  him.  And  they  were  all  amazed,  insomuch  that 
they  questioned  among  themselves,  saying,  What  thing  is 
this  ?  what  new  doctrine  is  this  ?  for  with  authority  com- 
mandeth  he  even  the  unclean  spirits,  and  they  do  obey  him. 


St.   Mark  i.  21-28 


39 


28  And  immediately  his  fame  spread  abroad  throughout  all  the 
region  round  about  Galilee. 

Mark  opens  his  story  of  the  Ministry  by  a  vivid 
account  of  the  doings  of  a  single  day.  Luke  has 
the  whole  of  this,  but  precedes  it  by  a  brief 
statement  of  the  teaching  and  the  fame  of 
Jesus,  and  by  His  rejection  at  Nazareth  (iv.  14-30) ; 
Matthew  begins  with  a  general  summary  of  the 
Ministry  (iv.  23-25),  leading  on  to  the  Sermon  on 
the  Mount,  an  insertion  which  involves  some  dis- 
placement and  shortening  of  the  incidents  as 
they  occur  in  Mark,  this  scene  in  the  synagogue 
being  omitted.  A  most  convincing  picture  of  the 
amazing  impression  at  once  produced  by  the  word 
and  the  power  of  Jesus. 

21.  Capernaum.  The  first  mention  of  the 
seaboard  town,  home  of  Simon  and  Andrew  (ver. 
29),  which  became  the  centre  of  the  Galilaean 
ministry.  The  most  definite  statements  of  this  are 
in  Matthew  (iv.  13  and  ix.  1,  "his  own  city"); 
it  is  implied  also  at  Luke  iv.  23,  x.  15. 

22.  doctrine.  R.V.,  "teaching."  It  is  signi- 
ficant that  this  Gospel,  which  recounts  so  vividly 
the  wonderful  deeds  of  Jesus,  preserving  but  little 
of  His  words  in  parable  or  discourse,  should  yet, 
as  its  first  scene  of  His  public  ministry,  describe  the 
effect  produced  by  His  teaching.  The  significance 
is  heightened  by  the  absence  of  any  indication 
of  what  He  taught.  Two  strokes  complete  the 
picture  :  He  taught,  and  men  were  astonished.  It 
is  no  marvel  that  they  were  amazed  at  His  miracles 
(ver.  27,  ii.  12,  iv.  41,  v.  20,  vi.  51,  vii.  37), 
for  the  authority  of  command  was  visible  in  its 
outward    effects :  this    instant  recognition   of  the 


40   Westminster  New  Testament 

authority  of  truth  brings  us  nearer  to  the  secret 
of  Christ's  power  over  men.  The  response  of  His 
hearers  was  less  to  the  unrecorded  teaching  than 
to  the  Teacher.  His  words  came  with  irresistible 
sense  of  a  personal  authority,  gracious  (Luke  iv.  22) 
yet  commanding,  claiming  surrender  as  unquestion- 
ing as  that  of  the  first  disciples  to  His  call.  Thus 
this  scene,  like  the  last,  brings  us  at  the  outset 
face  to  face  with  an  ultimate  fact,  the  personal 
authority  of  Jesus  Christ. 

the  scribes.  The  official  exponents  of  the 
Law ;  hence  called  also  "  lawyers "  (e.g.  Luke 
vii.  30)  and  "teachers  of  the  law"  (Luke  v.  17). 
Their  teaching  consisted  in  the  recital  of  the 
sayings  of  the  Rabbis,  so  burying  O.T.  Scripture 
under  a  mass  of  lifeless  tradition. 

23.  a  man  with  an  unclean  spirit.  The 
first  instance  of  that  mysterious  malady  to  which 
so  large  a  part  of  our  Lord's  ministry  of  healing 
was  directed.  No  doubt  many  of  the  symptoms 
point  to  natural  disease,  especially  to  epilepsy  and 
hysteria,  but  they  were  ascribed  to  unclean  or 
evil  spirits,  demons,  who  could  enter  into  and  be 
expelled  from  human  beings  and  even  brute  beasts 
(v.  13).  The  N.T.  records  may  to  some  extent  be 
influenced  by  this  contemporary  belief;  yet  the 
impression  they  give  is  not  simply  that  Jesus 
accommodated  Himself  to  the  belief  for  the  sake 
of  the  cure,  but  shared  it.  Unless  we  recognise 
some  moral  and  spiritual  fact  behind  the  physical 
ill,  much  of  the  narrative  loses  meaning,  and  one 
perplexity  is  only  exchanged  for  another.  It  will 
be  wise,  without  prejudice,  to  let  the  story  speak 
for  itself. 

24.  The  significant  thing  in  this  first  encounter 


St.  Mark  i.  21-28  41 

with  a  demoniac  is  that  the  demons  know  that  in 
Jesus  they  have  met  their  master:  the  expected 
command  is  a  voice  of  God,  before  which  they  will 
be  powerless.     So  again  v.  7  ;  compare  iii.  27. 

Let  US  alone.  R.V.  omits.  Compare  Luke  iv. 
34,  where  R.V.  rightly  renders  this  Greek  word  as 
an  interjection,  "  Ah  !  " 

what  have  we  to  do  with  thee  ?  Lit.,  "  What 

(is  there)  to  us  and  to  thee  (in  common)  ?  "  Again 
at  v.  7.  The  representative  of  God  can  have  no 
business  with  the  powers  of  evil,  or,  if  any,  then 
only  to  destroy  them.  The  plural  "we"  seems  to 
mark  the  case  as  typical,  "  we  demons "  :  the 
sequel  deals  with  this  one  unclean  spirit. 

Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Lit., "  the  Nazarene."  An 
appellative  occurring  again,  x.  47,  xiv.  67,  xvi.  6  : 
here  in  contrast  with  the  Divine  title  which 
follows. 

to  destroy  US.  A  true  intuition :  compare 
Heb.  ii.  14 ;  1  John  iii.  8. 

Holy.  The  word  has  O.T.  associations  of 
separation  and  consecration  to  the  service  of 
God,  and  so  stands  in  absolute  antithesis  to  the 
"  unclean "  spirit.  For  its  application  to  Christ 
compare  Luke  i.  35  ;  John  vi.  69 ;  Acts  iii.  14 : 
to  Christians,  "saints,"  Rom.  i.  7,  and  often. 

25.  rebuked.  The  word  is  almost  confined 
to  the  Synoptics  (except  2  Tim.  iv.  2 ;  Jude  9), 
implying  generally  both  censure  and  command. 
Jesus  rebukes  not  the  demons  only,  but  the 
storm  and  the  fever  (iv.  39 ;  Luke  iv.  39),  as  if 
these  too  were  personal  forces  hostile  to  man- 
kind. 

Hold  thy  peace.  Lit.,  "  Be  muzzled."  Same 
word  at  iv.  39,  "  Be  still."     This  stern  command  for 


42   Westminster  New  Testament 

silence  has  reference  to   the  spirit's    recognition 
of  Jesus  as  Messiah  :  see  n.  on  ver.  34. 

26.  A  final  paroxysm  :  compare  ix.  26. 
torn.     Rather,  "convulsed/'  as  R.V.  marg. 

27.  amazed.  A  deeper  feeling  than  the 
"astonishment  "  of  ver.  22  :  this  fresh  manifestation 
of  the  authority  of  Jesus  struck  them  with  awe.  The 
word  is  characteristic  of  Mark,  and  the  impression 
conveyed  by  it  may  be  gathered  from  the  instances, 
x.  24,  32,  and,  with  intensive  prefix,  ix.  15,  xiv.  33, 
xvi.  5,  6. 

What  thing,  etc.  R.V.,  "  What  is  this  ?  a  new 
teaching !  "  The  stress  is  still  on  the  teaching. 
Whatever  the  devices  employed  by  the  Jewish 
exorcists  (Matt.  xii.  27;  Acts  xix.  13),  Jesus  uses 
none  of  them.  His  bare  word  suffices ;  the  same 
strange  authority  which  had  claimed  His  listeners 
is  no  less  valid  over  the  spirit-world.  Luke  uses 
"word"  in  both  connections  (iv.  32  and  iv.  36). 

28.  R.V.,  "And  the  report  of  him  went  out 
straightway  everywhere  into  all  the  region  of 
Galilee  round  about."  Mark  interrupts  his  story 
for  a  moment  to  emphasise  the  immediate  and 
widespread  effect  of  what  had  happened  in  the 
synagogue.  So  Luke  (iv.  37),  but  he  has  dis- 
counted the  importance  of  the  statement  here  by 
a  similar  one  at  the  outset  of  his  narrative  (iv.  14). 
For  the  development  of  Mark's  history  it  is  import- 
ant to  note  that  the  instant  popularity  of  Jesus, 
as  a  teacher,  and  especially  as  one  able  to  cast  out 
demons,  is  attributed  to  this  one  incident.  What 
Jesus  thought  of  this  will  appear  shortly. 


St.  Mark  i.  29-31  43 


A  SABBATH  IN  CAPERNAUM— {continued). 

II.  Cure  of  Peter's  Wife's  Mother  (vers.  29-31 ; 
cf.  Matt.  viii.  14,  15  =  Luke  iv.  38,  39). 

29  And  forthwith,  when  they  were  come  out  of  the  synagogue, 
they  entered  into  the  house  of  Simon  and  Andrew,  with 

30  James  and  John.     But  Simon's  wife's  mother  lay  sick  of  a 

31  fever,  and  anon  they  tell  him  of  her.  And  he  came  and 
took  her  by  the  hand,  and  lifted  her  up  ;  and  immediately 
the  fever  left  her,  and  she  ministered  unto  them. 

The  first  demand  upon  the  healing  power  of  Jesus 
had,  in  a  manner,  been  forced  upon  Him  by  the 
sudden  disturbance  in  the  synagogue ;  the  second 
meets  Him  in  the  trouble  He  finds  in  His  friends' 
home,  and  proves  that  He  can  not  only  cast  out 
demons  but  cure  other  sicknesses  as  well.  The 
effect  of  this  further  discovery  is  seen  in  the 
gathering  of  the  crowds  round  the  house  after 
sunset. 

30.  fever.  The  nature  not  indicated.  Luke's 
expression  suggests  that  the  illness  was  severe, 
"  held  in  the  grip  of  a  great  fever." 

anon.     R.V.,  "straightway."     See  n.  on  ver.  10. 
tell.     Simpler  than  Luke's  "besought "  :  it  was 
enough  to  tell  Him  about  her. 

31.  In  the  method  of  His  cure  Jesus  calls  for 
some  co-operation  on  the  part  of  the  sufferer.  This 
feature  does  not  appear  in  Matthew,  "  he  touched 
her  hand,"  or  in  Luke,  "  he  rebuked  the  fever." 

ministered.  I.e.,  "waited  on  them."  A 
graphic  touch :  the  cure  so  complete  that  the 
interrupted  household  duties  were  at  once  resumed. 


44  Westminster  New  Testament 


A  SABBATH  IN  CAPERNAUM— {concluded). 

III.  Cures  after  Sunset  (vers.  32-34 ;  cf.  Matt, 
viii.  16,  17  =  Luke  iv.  40,  41). 

32  And  at  even,  when  the  sun  did  set,  they  brought  unto  him 
all  that  were  diseased,  and  them  that  were  possessed  with 

33  devils.     And  all  the  city  was  gathered  together  at  the  door. 

34  And  he  healed  many  that  were  sick  of  divers  diseases,  and 
cast  out  many  devils  ;  and  suffered  not  the  devils  to  speak, 
because  they  knew  him. 

The  events  of  the  day  were  followed,  as  soon  as 
the  close  of  the  Sabbath  permitted,  by  a  scene 
with  which  Jesus  must  now  become  familiar 
wherever  He  went  (see  ver.  45,  iii.  10,  vi.  53-56, 
etc.).  Whether  He  wished  it  so  or  not,  His  reputa- 
tion as  a  wonderful  healer  was  made.  Crowds 
gathered  to  the  fame  of  His  cures,  under  the 
impulse  of  bodily  need,  with  an  appeal  to  His  com- 
passion which  could  only  be  met  at  a  cost  of  time 
and  strength  out  of  all  proportion  to  the  spiritual 
effects  produced.  The  turn  thus  given  to  His 
ministry  at  the  first  may  well  have  excited  in  Jesus 
a  foreboding  afterwards  realised  in  His  judgment 
on  this  same  city  of  Capernaum :  exalted  to 
heaven  by  the  mighty  works  done  in  her  streets, 
she  repented  not.  His  own  hand  writes  failure 
over  His  efforts  for  His  own  city. 

32.  when  the  sun  did  set.  The  eagerness 
of  the  people  to  put  to  the  proof  the  news  which 
had  reached  them  from  the  synagogue  and  from 
Simon's  house  is  only  restrained  by  the  law  of  the 
Sabbath.  Luke,  perhaps  less  accurately,  "when 
the  sun  was  setting." 


St.  Mark  i.  32-34  45 

devils,  /.^./'demons."  The  common  N.T.  term 
for  these  evil  powers,  subjects  and  emissaries  of 
Satan  (iii.  22). 

33.  all  the  city.  A  vivid  picture  peculiar  to 
Mark.     Similarly  at  ii.  2. 

34.  divers  diseases.  An  expression  which 
each  Synoptic  has  here,  and  nowhere  else.  The 
intention  is,  without  details,  to  bring  home  the 
great  variety  of  the  cures  wrought  by  Jesus. 

suffered  not  to  Speak.  Luke  here  repeats 
what  we  had  at  ver.  24,  that  as  the  demons  came  out 
they  shrieked,  "  Thou  art  the  Son  of  God."  Such 
advertisement  Jesus  consistently  avoided  (see  n.  on 
ver.  1 1),  whether  from  demons  (iii.  11,  12)  or  from 
men  (viii.  30).  It  is  not  the  source  of  the  confession 
that  matters,  but  the  confession  itself,  in  its  inevit- 
able effect  upon  His  public  work.  He  could  only 
fulfil  His  mission  as  Messiah  by  avoiding  the 
grooves  of  the  popular  conception,  and  fixing  men's 
thoughts  not  on  Himself  but  on  the  kingdom  of 
God.  If  rumours  that  He  was  the  Christ  went 
before  Him  they  could  only  hinder  His  message, 
leading  to  the  futile  speculations  and  baffled  ex- 
pectancy so  vividly  portrayed  in  the  Fourth  Gospel. 
Therefore,  neither  admitting  nor  denying  the 
suggestion,  He  checks  every  endeavour  to  spread  it 
abroad. 

knew  him.  Luke  adds,  "  to  be  the  Christ,"  and 
so  R.V.  marg.  here. 

Matthew  finds  in  this  scene  one  of  the  happiest 
of  his  fulfilments  of  the  O.T.  Scriptures  :  "  Himself 
took  our  infirmities,  and  bare  our  diseases "  (Isa. 
liii.  4). 


46  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  i.  35-39  ;  cf.  Luke  iv.  42-44. 
RETIREMENT  FROM  CAPERNAUM. 

35  And  in  the  morning,  rising  up  a  great  while  before  day,  he 
went   out,   and  departed  into  a  solitary  place,  and  there 

36  prayed.     And     Simon    and    they    that    were    with    him 

37  followed  after  him.     And  when  they  had  found  him,  they 

38  said  unto  him,  All  men  seek  for  thee.  And  he  said  unto 
them,   Let  us  go  into  the  next  towns,  that  I  may  preach 

39  there  also :  for  therefore  came  I  forth.  And  he  preached 
in  their  synagogues  throughout  all  Galilee,  and  cast  out 
devils. 

The  scenes  of  popular  enthusiasm  with  which  the 
Sabbath  had  closed  impel  Jesus  to  leave  Capernaum 
before  daybreak,  secretly  and  alone.  After  the 
strain,  He  stood  in  need  of  solitude  and  prayer. 
The  work  of  healing,  begun  only  after  sunset,  must 
have  left  many  applicants  unsatisfied  :  the  morrow 
would  bring  them  back  with  many  more,  and  one 
city  would  monopolise  His  ministry.  But  another 
reason  for  withdrawal  is  evident  in  the  misgivings 
already  suggested  by  vers.  25  and  34.  The  day 
which  began  with  teaching  had  become  wholly 
absorbed  in  curing  sick  people :  the  next  day 
would  certainly  be  like  it  if  He  so  permitted.  Did 
the  true  fulfilment  of  His  mission  lie  in  such  work, 
with  its  attendant  popularity  ?  An  instant  decision 
must  be  taken :  it  is  confirmed  in  prayer,  and  leads 
Him  away  from  the  sick  folk  of  Capernaum  to  preach 
throughout  all  Galilee.  The  stress  of  the  incident 
lies  in  the  prominence  it  restores  to  His  preaching. 
Jesus  seems  to  have  regarded  the  casting  out  of 
demons  also  as  part  of  His  spiritual  work,  and  gives 
this  power  to  His  disciples  when  He  sends  them  forth 


St.  Mark  i.  35-39  47 

to  preach  (iii.  15,  vi.  7).  But  in  the  other  cures 
which  from  this  point  occur  in  the  history,  perhaps 
we  may  see  the  compassion  of  Jesus  breaking 
through  a  limitation  He  had  Himself  imposed  upon 
His  ministry. 

35.  Matthew  omits  this  incident.  A  comparison 
with  Luke  (iv.  42-44)  gives  a  good  instance  of 
Mark's  characteristic  vividness  of  description. 

prayed.  One  of  Mark's  three  instances  of 
Jesus  praying  (vi.  46,  xiv.  32) :  Matthew  gives  two 
(xiv.  9,3,  xxvi.  36;  see  also  xix.  13);  Luke  seven  (iii. 
21,  v.  16,  vi.  12,  ix.  18,  28,  xi.  1,  xxii.  41). 

36.  Simon.  In  whose  house  He  had  perhaps 
spent  the  night.  In  Luke  the  "  multitudes  "  come 
to  Him. 

followed  after.  Lit.,  u  hunted  him  down,"  the 
very  word  implying  resentment  at  the  action  He  had 
seen  fit  to  take. 

37.  All  men  seek  for  thee.  R.V.,  "All  are 
seeking  thee."  The  natural  and,  surely,  most 
desirable  consequence  of  the  doings  of  the 
previous  day.  Could  it  be  wise  or  right  to  let 
such  an  opportunity  pass  without  gathering  its 
full  fruits  ? 

38.  The  reply  of  Jesus  states  one  reason  for  His 
withdrawal  and  suggests  another,  (l)  He  chooses 
the  itinerant  method  for  His  ministry,  by  which  He 
can  best  reach  all,  favouring  none.  It  is  to  have, 
for  His  disciples'  sake  as  well  as  His  own,  the 
stamp  of  the  country  and  not  of  the  city.  (2)  His 
main  business  is  to  preach  the  gospel. 

towns.  Lit.,  "village-towns."  The  large  villages 
(as  distinct  from  the  "city"  of  Capernaum)  with 
which  Galilee  was  thickly  studded.  The  word 
only  occurs  here  in  the  N.T. 


48  Westminster  New  Testament 

came  I  forth.  I.e.,  from  Capernaum.  The 
same  word  rendered  "went  out"  in  ver.  35. 
Luke  gives  a  different  and  probably  less  original 
turn  to  this  saying,  "for  therefore  am  I  sent," 
R.V.  "was  I  sent/'  i.e.,  from  God.  The  emphasis 
which  this  version  of  our  Lord's  answer  lays  on 
preaching  as  His  proper  work  is  suggestive,  but 
at  this  point  of  the  story  the  disciples  were 
hardly  as  yet  prepared  for  such  an  assertion  of 
the  Divine  origin  of  His  mission. 


Mark  i.  40-45 ;  cf.  Matt.  viii.  1-4=  Luke  v.  12-16. 
A  LEPER  CLEANSED. 

40  And  there  came  a  leper  to  him,  beseeching  him,  and 
kneeling  down  to  him,  and  saying  unto  him,  If  thou  wilt, 

41  thou  canst  make  me  clean.  And  Jesus,  moved  with 
compassion,  put  forth  his  hand,  and  touched  him,  and 

42  saith  unto  him,  I  will ;  be  thou  clean.  And  as  soon  as  he 
had  spoken,  immediately  the  leprosy  departed  from  him, 

43  and  he  was  cleansed.     And  he  straitly  charged  him,  and 

44  forthwith  sent  him  away ;  and  saith  unto  him,  See  thou 
say  nothing  to  any  man  :  but  go  thy  way,  shew  thyself  to 
the  priest,  and  offer  for  thy  cleansing  those  things  which 

45  Moses  commanded,  for  a  testimony  unto  them.  But  he 
went  out,  and  began  to  publish  it  much,  and  to  blaze 
abroad  the  matter,  insomuch  that  Jesus  could  no  more 
openly  enter  into  the  city,  but  was  without  in  desert 
places  :  and  they  came  to  him  from  every  quarter. 

Although  Jesus  had  left  His  work  of  healing  that 
He  might  be  free  to  preach,  the  only  incident 
which  Mark  records  of  His  journey  in  Galilee  is  a 


St.  Mark  i.  40-45  49 

cure  so  wonderful  that  it  must  have  the  very  effect 
He  had  tried  to  avoid.  This  appears  in  the  strict 
injunction  given  to  the  man,  and  in  the  sequel. 
All  the  more  there  shines  out  the  compulsion 
laid  upon  the  compassion  of  Jesus  by  human  need 
and  the  appeal  of  distress.  Matthew  and  Luke 
also  have  the  story :  Mark  excels  both,  especially 
Matthew,  in  fulness  and  vividness.  The  only 
other  specific  instance  in  the  Gospels  of  this  kind 
of  cure  is  that  of  the  ten  lepers  (Luke  xvii.  12-19)  ; 
but  compare  the  charge  to  the  Twelve  (Matt.  x.  8) 
and  the  message  to  John  the  Baptist  (Matt.  xi.  5  ; 
Luke  vii.  22). 

40.  a  leper.  Luke  has,  "  a  man  full  of  leprosy," 
a  phrase  probably  intended  to  indicate  the  hopeless 
severity  of  the  case,  though  just  possibly  suggesting 
that  the  man  was  ceremonially  "clean,"  and  so 
was  able  with  impunity  to  approach  Jesus  (Lev. 
xiii.  13).  The  ten  of  Luke  xvii.  12  "stood  afar 
off." 

If  thou  wilt.  Lit.,  "  If  thou  shouldst  be  willing." 
The  man's  only  misgiving,  taught  him  by  cruel 
experience. 

make  me  clean.  Lit.,  "cleanse  me."  The 
word,  rather  than  "heal"  or  "cure,"  suggests 
terrible  associations  of  physical  and  legal  defilement. 
See  Lev.  xiii. 

41.  moved  with  compassion.  Peculiar  to 
Mark  at  this  place :  compare  vi.  34,  viii.  2,  ix.  22, 
and  for  other  interpretations  of  the  emotions  of 
Jesus,  ver.  43,  iii.  5,  x.  21.  (Some  editors  admit  to 
their  margin  an  alternative  reading,  "being 
angered,"  a  startling  anticipation  of  the  emotion 
of  ver.  43.) 

touched.       The  act  of  personal  contact  with 


so  Westminster  New  Testament 

which  so  many  of  Christ's  cures  were  accompanied, 
both  in  common  belief  and  in  fact  (iii.  10,  v.  23, 
27-31,  vi.  5,  56,  vii.  33,  viii.  22,  23:  compare 
2  Kings  iv.  34,  v.  11).  Jesus  is  not  here  deterred 
from  it  by  the  character  of  the  disease  or  fear  of 
legal  defilement. 

be  thou  clean.  R.V.,  "made  clean,"  and  so 
ver.  42.  It  is  true,  and  quite  irrelevant,  that  in 
Lev.  xiii.  this  verb  is  repeatedly  used  in  the  sense 
"to  declare  (ceremonially)  clean."  The  narrative 
(see  vers.  42,  45)  implies  a  marvellous  cure,  not  a 
legal  pronouncement  which  Jesus  had  no  right  to 
make,  and  which  would  do  the  man  no  good  if  He 
did.  Even  his  cure  was  not  complete  till  he 
obtained  the  priest's  certificate. 

43.  straitly  charged  him,  and  sent  him 
away.  R.V.,  "strictly  (marg.  "sternly")  charged 
him,  and  sent  him  out."  Neither  rendering  quite 
conveys  the  urgency  of  the  man's  dismissal.  The 
word  "straitly  charged"  pictures  the  emotion  of 
Jesus :  transferred  from  its  literal  significance  of 
the  snorting  of  horses,  it  comes  to  imply  strong 
mental  agitation,  of  indignation  or  anger,  as  Mark 
xiv.  5  ;  John  xi.  33,  38  (see  R.V.  marg.).  This 
sense  is  to  be  looked  for  in  the  only  other  N.T. 
instances  of  the  word,  here  and  in  a  similar 
context  at  Matt.  ix.  30.  The  urgency  of  the 
word  rendered  "sent  away"  has  already  been 
noted  at  ver.  12:  other  instances  are  v.  40,  ix.  47, 
xi.  15,  xii.  8.  The  plain  meaning,  then,  seems  to 
be,  "In  indignation  against  him  he  immedi- 
ately drove  him  away."  The  impulse  of  com- 
passion and  the  ready  act  of  healing  are  followed 
by  apprehension  of  a  renewal  of  that  peril  for  His 
work  from  which  His  withdrawal  from  Capernaum 


St.   Mark  i.  40-45  51 

was  an   escape,  and   the   sequel   shows    that   the 
apprehension  was  well  founded. 

44.  Compare  v.  19,  43,  vii.  36,  viii.  26. 

g"0  thy  way.     Up  to  Jerusalem. 

offer  for,  i.e.  concerning,  "in  the  matter  of  thy 
cleansing."  The  details  of  the  sacrifice  are  given  in 
Lev.  xiv. 

for  a  testimony  unto  them.  I.e.,  to  the  official 
guardians  of  the  Law  whom  "the  priest"  repre- 
sented. The  coming  of  the  man  to  offer  his 
sacrifice  is  the  evidence*  necessary  to  secure  the 
certificate  of  cure.  That  is  his  first  duty,  to  be 
done  for  his  own  sake  (compare  Luke  xvii.  14), 
and,  in  doing  it,  he  will  incidentally  be  kept  from 
harming  his  benefactor.  In  the  later  incident 
recorded  by  Luke,  the  ten  were  cured  as  they  were 
obeying  a  like  command  (Luke  xvii.  14). 

45.  The  excitement  of  having  such  a  tale  to  tell 
is  too  much  for  his  obedience  or  gratitude ;  so  again 
at  v.  20  and  vii.  36.  Accordingly  Mark  tells  that 
the  plans  of  ver.  39  had  to  be  abruptly  changed, 
and  a  deeper  retirement  sought,  but  sought  in 
vain,  in  desert  places.  From  this  point  the 
thronging  multitudes  are  a  constant  feature  in 
the  scenes  of  the  Ministry  (e.g.  ii.  2,  iii.  7,  8,  20, 
iv.  1,  v.  21,  vi.  31,  etc.).  He  "could  not  be  hid" 
(vii.  24). 

the  city.  R.V.,  "a  city."  Any  and  every  place 
where  a  crowd  could  gather  was,  for  the  time, 
avoided. 


52   Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  ii.  1-12;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  1-8= Luke  v.  17-26. 
CURE  OF  A  PARALYSED  MAN. 

And  again  he  entered  into  Capernaum  after  some  days ; 

2  and  it  was  noised  that  he  was  in  the  house.  And  straight- 
way many  were  gathered  together,  insomuch  that  there 
was  no  room  to  receive  them,  no,  not  so  much  as  about 

3  the  door :  and  he  preached  the  word  unto  them.  And 
they  come  unto  him,  bringing  one  sick  of  the  palsy,  which 

4  was  borne  of  four.  And  when  they  could  not  come  nigh 
unto  him  for  the  press,  they  uncovered  the  roof  where  he 
was :  and  when  they  had  broken  it  up,  they  let  down  the 

5  bed  wherein  the  sick  of  the  palsy  lay.  When  Jesus  saw 
their  faith,  he  said  unto  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Son,  thy  sins 

6  be  forgiven  thee.      But  there  were  certain  of  the  scribes 

7  sitting  there,  and  reasoning  in  their  hearts,  Why  doth 
this  man   thus  speak   blasphemies?  who  can  forgive  sins 

8  but  God  only  ?  And  immediately  when  Jesus  perceived  in 
his  spirit  that  they  so  reasoned  within  themselves,  he  said 
unto  them,  Why  reason  ye  these  things  in  your  hearts? 

9  Whether  is  it  easier  to  say  to  the  sick  of  the  palsy,  Thy 
sins  be  forgiven  thee ;  or  to  say,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy 

10  bed,  and  walk  ?  But  that  ye  may  know  that  the  Son  of 
man  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins,  (he  saith  to  the 

11  sick  of  the  palsy,)  I  say  unto  thee,  Arise,  and  take  up  thy 

12  bed,  and  go  thy  way  into  thine  house.  And  immediately 
he  arose,  took  up  the  bed,  and  went  forth  before  them  all ; 
insomuch  that  they  were  all  amazed,  and  glorified  God, 
saying,  We  never  saw  it  on  this  fashion. 

Although  Jesus  had  withdrawn  from  Capernaum 
that  He  might  preach,  the  only  recorded  incident 
of  His  tour  is  the  cleansing  of  the  leper,  with  its 
consequent  increase  of  His  popularity.  And  now, 
immediately  on  His  return,  a  like  claim  is  made 


St.   Mark  ii.  1-12  53 

upon  His  power  as  a  healer,  and  is  so  met  that  all 
are  amazed  and  glorify  God.  The  details  of  the 
scene  are  not  only  vivid  and  convincing,  but  present 
several  new  features,  significant  for  the  development 
of  Mark's  story.  These  are :  (l)  the  first  clear 
emergence  of  "  faith  " — in  this  case  vicarious  faith — 
in  its  connection  with  our  Lord's  response  to  human 
need ;  (2)  His  claim,  made  in  an  unexpected 
context,  to  forgive  sins ;  (3)  the  first  note  of 
hostility  to  Jesus;  (4)  a  miracle  wrought  not 
simply  from  compassion  for  the  sufferer  but  in 
proof  of  His  challenged  prerogative ;  (5)  the 
earliest  instance  of  our  Lord's  self-designation  as 
"Son  of  man."  All  these  are  common  to  the 
three  accounts  (cf.  Matt.  ix.  1-8  ;  Luke  v.  17-26). 

1.  in  the  house.  Rather,  "at  home,"  or 
"indoors." 

2.  he  preached  (R.V.,  "spake")  the  word. 
Jesus  is  now  able,  after  the  break  caused  by  His 
withdrawal,  to  gather  a  crowd  in  Capernaum  to 
listen  to  His  message.  Luke,  however,  adds  at 
the  outset  of  this  incident  that  "  the  power  of  the 
Lord  (i.e.  Jehovah)  was  with  him  that  he  should 
heal."  This  early  use  of  the  simple  phrase  "the 
word  "  is  noteworthy :  it  occurs  again  in  iv.  14, 
where  Matthew  has  "the  word  of  the  kingdom," 
Luke  "  the  word  of  God." 

3.  Sick  Of  the  palsy.  Lit.,  "a  paralytic."  Luke, 
"a  man  who  was  paralysed."  The  case  was  pro- 
bably one  of  complete  loss  of  power  in  the  lower 
limbs :  other  references  to  the  same  disease  are 
Matt.  iv.  24,  viii.  6 ;  Acts  viii.  7,  ix.  33. 

4.  Checked  in  their  approach  by  the  dense 
crowd,  they  mount  the  outside  stairs  to  the  flat 
housetop  (so  Luke;  cf.  Mark  xiii.  15),  remove  the 


5i    Westminster  New  Testament 

tiles  (Luke),  break  up  (lit.  "  dig  out ")  the  ceiling 
underneath,  and  let  down  the  pallet  with  its 
burden  on  to  the  clear  space  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
(who  perhaps  was  teaching  in  the  "  upper  room  "). 
f  They  believed  that  neither  din  while  He  preached, 
nor  rubbish  falling  among  His  audience,  nor  the 
strange  interruption  of  a  patient  and  a  litter 
intruded  upon  His  discourse,  could  weigh  as  much 
with  Jesus  as  the  appeal  on  a  sick  man's  face. 
And  this  was  faith  "  (Chadwick). 

5.  When    Jesus   saw    their   faith.      This 

Gospel  has  instances  of  the  necessary  connection 
between  men's  confidence  in  Jesus  and  His  power 
to  bless  in  v.  34,  36,  ix.  23,  x.  52,  and  especially 
vi.  5,  6.  A  vicarious  faith  avails  also  for  the 
healing  of  the  centurion's  servant  (Luke  vii. ;  cf. 
John  iv.  46-53)  and  of  the  daughter  of  the  Syro- 
phcenician  woman  (Matt.  xv.  28). 

Son  (so  Matthew,  with  the  addition  "  be  of  good 
cheer  ").  Lit.  "  Child."  A  gracious  address, not  only 
condoning  the  interruption,  but  making  its  way 
right  to  the  man's  need  with  promise  of  help. 
Compare  "  Daughter  "  (v.  34)  and,  to  the  disciples, 
"  Children  "(x.  24),  «  Little  children  "  (John  xiii.  33). 

thy  sins  are  forgiven.  An  unexpected  word, 
to  the  sure  explanation  of  which  we  hardly  have 
the  key.  It  seems  to  ignore  the  urgent  necessity, 
in  the  very  moment  of  its  hard-won  appeal,  in  order 
to  declare  and  meet  a  different  neecf,  and  so  far, 
even  if  from  the  first  our  Lord  intended  to  cure  the 
man,  may  be  regarded  as  another  instance  of  His 
refusal  to  be  a  mere  healer  (see  notes  on  i.  32-39). 
In  the  sequel  the  cure  is  wrought,  not  simply  out 
of  compassion  and  for  its  own  sake,  but  in  response 
to  challenge,  as  proof  of  the  validity  of  His  claim 


St.   Mark  ii.  1-12 


55 


to  forgive  sins :  He  bestows  the  lesser  gift  that 
men  may  believe  He  can  bestow  one  immeasurably 
greater.  Further,  there  may  have  been  something 
in  this  man's  history  known  to  Jesus  which  led 
Him  to  trace  the  physical  malady  to  sin,  and  deal 
first  with  cause  rather  than  symptom.  Of  such 
connection  in  His  thought  there  are  other  hints  :  see 
John  v.  14;  Luke  xiii.  16,  "whom  Sat  cm  hath 
bound/'  and,  especially,  His  cures  of  those  possessed 
with  demons.  But  He  also  expressly  teaches  that 
these  hints  must  not  be  fashioned  into  a  doctrine  that 
all  physical  evil  is  the  result  of  sin :  see  Luke  xiii. 
1-5  ;  John  ix.  1-3. 

6.  scribes.  See  n.  on  i.  22.  The  first  indication 
that  the  new  religious  movement  had  become 
important  enough  to  be  watched  by  the  official 
leaders  of  Judaism.  Luke  speaks  of  a  large  and 
representative  gathering  of  these  (v.  17). 

reasoning.  The  word  habitually  refers  to 
perverse  and  hostile  thoughts  (vii.  21,  viii.  16, 
ix.  33,  xi.  31). 

7.  R.V.,  « Why  doth  this  man  thus  speak  ? 
he  blasphemeth."  The  blasphemy  is  that  a 
mere  human  fiat  should  usurp  the  Divine  prero- 
gative of  forgiveness  which  was  commissioned  to 
His  appointed  ministers  after  prescribed  ritual  of 
expiation.  On  two  other  occasions  the  same 
charge  was  brought  against  Jesus  for  a  yet  higher 
claim  :  see  John  x.  30-33  ;  Matt.  xxvi.  63-65. 

9.  The  question  is  accommodated  to  the  point  of 
view  of  His  critics,  to  whom  u  seeing  was  believing." 
But  for  Him  whose  word  was  truth,  to  speak  the 
word  of  forgiveness  was  to  forgive ;  and  this, 
assuredly,  was  not  easier  than  to  heal,  but  involved 
a  Divine   prerogative,  a    "power"    or    rather  an 


56  Westminster  New  Testament 

"authority"  on  earth  which  came  from  and  was 
ratified  in  heaven. 

10.  the  Son  Of  man.  The  first  of  fourteen 
instances  of  the  title  in  this  Gospel :  ii.  28,  viii.  31, 
38,  ix.  9,  12,  31,  x.  33,  45,  xiii.  26,  xiv.  21  (bis), 
41,  62.  It  will  be  observed  that  only  two  of  these 
occur  in  the  first  half  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  the 
third  follows  immediately  upon  Peter's  confession, 
"Thou  art  the  Christ"  (viii.  29).  This  of  itself 
suggests — and  the  later  passages  confirm  the 
suggestion — that  the  phrase  is  a  synonym  for  "  the 
Christ,"  our  Lord's  chosen  designation  of  Himself 
as  Messiah,  chosen,  no  doubt,  because  of  the 
emphasis  it  gave  to  all  the  human  side  of  His 
nature  and  mission  as  well  as  to  their  Divine 
origin  and  authority.  This  Messianic  application 
has  its  source  in  the  vision  of  Dan.  vii.  1-14, 
where,  after  the  passing  away  of  four  great  world- 
empires,  cruel  and  ferocious  as  the  brute  beasts  by 
which  they  are  symbolised,  the  advent  of  the 
"everlasting  kingdom"  to  be  given  "unto  the 
saints  of  the  Most  High "  is  thus  described  :  "  I 
saw  in  the  night  visions,  and,  behold,  there  came 
with  the  clouds  of  heaven  one  like  unto  a  son 
of  man."  Our  Lord  clearly  refers  to  this  passage 
in  xiii.  26,  xiv.  62,  and  the  absence  of  any  question- 
ing as  to  what  the  title  meant  would  seem  to 
imply  that,  originally  describing  the  Messianic 
kingdom  as  human  in  contrast  with  the  brutish 
kingdoms  of  earth,  it  had  come  to  be  transferred 
to  the  king,  and  was  in  our  Lord's  day  a  current 
name  for  the  personal  Messiah. 

But  the  evidence  seems  clear  that  even  to  His 
disciples  He  only  confessed  Himself  to  be  the 
Christ  after  they  had  made  the  great  discovery  for 


St.   Mark  ii.  13-17  57 

themselves,  viii.  29-31  (see  n.  on  i.  11).  If  so,  His 
use  of  the  Messianic  title  here  (unless  the  incident 
belongs  to  a  later  period  of  the  Ministry)  creates 
difficulty.  It  is  possible  that  the  records  sometimes 
put  the  familiar  title  into  His  mouth  when  He 
simply  said  "1":  it  can  hardly  be  doubted  that 
Mark  viii.  27,  "  Who  do  men  say  that  /  am  ? "  is 
more  original  than  Matt.  xvi.  13,  "Who  do  men 
say  that  the  Son  of  man  is  ?  "  But,  as  in  Aramaic 
the  phrase  "a  son  of  man"  means  simply  "man," 
it  would  seem  likely  that  this  is  the  phrase  He 
used  here.  So  at  least,  according  to  Matthew,  the 
people  understood  Him,  glorifying  God  "  which 
had  given  such  power  unto  men  "  (Matt.  ix.  8.)  Not, 
of  course,  to  all  men  :  the  wonder  is  that  in  this 
man  the  human  has  been  exalted  to  the  divine. 
(See  also  n.  on  ver.  28.) 

(he  saith,  etc.),  A  similar  parenthesis  has 
place  in  each  account,  showing  a  source  used  in 
common. 

11.  The  man  must  co-operate  in  his  cure:  cf. 
n.  on  i.  31. 

12.  Each  Evangelist  in  his  own  way  records  the 


Mark  ii.  13-17;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  9-13  =  Luke  v.  27-32. 
THE  CALL  OF  LEVI,  THE  PUBLICAN. 

13  And  he  went  forth  again  by  the  sea  side  ;  and  all   the 

14  multitude  resorted  unto  him,  and  he  taught  them.  And 
as  he  passed  by,  he  saw  Levi  the  son  of  Alphseus  sitting 
at  the  receipt  of  custom,  and  said  unto  him,  Follow  me. 

15  And  he  arose  and  followed  him.     And  it  came  to  pass, 


58  Westminster  New  Testament 

that,  as  Jesus  sat  at  meat  in  his  house,  many  publicans 
and  sinners  sat  also  together  with  Jesus  and  his  disciples  : 

16  for  there  were  many,  and  they  followed  him.  And  when 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees  saw  him  eat  with  publicans  and 
sinners,   they  said  unto  his  disciples,   How  is  it  that  he 

17  eateth  and  drinketh  with  publicans  and  sinners?  When 
Jesus  heard  it,  he  saith  unto  them,  They  that  are  whole 
have  no  need  of  the  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick :  I 
came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance. 

The  great  claim  to  forgive  sins  is  followed  by 
four  scenes  in  which  Jesus  asserts  a  fearless 
independence  of  current  religious  sentiment : 
each  enshrines  some  characteristic  saying,  and  the 
series  is  closed  by  a  plain  declaration  of  war  on 
the  part  of  the  Pharisees. 

13.  again.  The  word  appears  to  look  back 
to  i.  16.  From  this  point  many  scenes  in  His 
ministry  have  the  lake  shores  for  their  setting. 

14.  Levi.  Luke  adds  "  a  publican  "  ;  Matthew 
has  "a  man  called  Matthew/'  in  what  is  evidently 
a  record  of  the  same  incident.  This,  and  the  fact 
that  each  list  of  the  Apostles  contains  a  Matthew 
but  no  Levi,  serve  to  identify  the  two.  If 
Matthew  ("gift  of  God")  was  a  later  name,  we 
have  an  analogy  in  Simon  Peter. 

receipt  of  custom.  R.  V.,  «  place  of  toll."  He 
was  collector  (for  Herod  Antipas,  tetrarch  of 
Galilee)  of  custom  duties  on  goods  passing  through 
Capernaum  on  the  high  road  between  Damascus 
and  the  Mediterranean. 

Follow  me.     See  notes  on  i.  16-20. 

15.  in  his  house.  I.e.,  Levi's.  Luke  speaks 
of  a  great  feast  in  honour  of  Jesus. 

publicans   and   sinners.     The   two   classes 


St.   Mark  ii.  13-17  59 

are  linked  together  in  Luke  vii.  34,  xv.  1.  By 
"  sinners  "  in  this  connection  are  meant  "  men  of 
the  world/'  outside  the  pale  of  official  religion  with 
its  observances  and  duties.  The  association  shows 
the  religious  element  in  the  popular  hatred  of  the 
"publicans"  (a  Roman  term  for  collectors  of  public 
revenue).  Not  only  were  they  extortionate  (Luke 
iii.  13,  xix.  8),  but  their  very  business  was  sign  and 
symbol  of  Israel's  subjection  to  a  heathen  power  : 
they  were  renegade  Jews  (see  Matt,  xviii.  1 7,  "  Let 
him  be  to  thee  as  the  Gentile  and  the  publican  "  ; 
cf.  also  Matt.  v.  46,  xxi.  32). 

there  were  many.  The  reference  seems  to  be 
to  the  publicans  and  sinners  (numerous  in  so  im- 
portant a  commercial  centre  as  Capernaum),  and 
to  the  attraction  this  outcast  section  of  the  com- 
munity had  already  found  in  the  ministry  of  Jesus 
(cf.  Lu^e  vii.  29,  xv.  1). 

16.  R.V.,  "the  scribes  of  the  Pharisees."  I.e., 
the  scribes  (i.  22,  note)  who  belonged  to  the 
strict  sect  of  the  Pharisees  or  "separatists,"  the 
men  who  stood  uncompromisingly  for  the  separation 
of  the  Jews  from  everything  non-Jewish  and,  as 
means,  for  the  most  scrupulous  observance  of  the 
Law  and  tradition.  This  legalism  brought  them  as 
a  class  into  sharp  conflict  with  Jesus  ;  but  it  is  to 
be  remembered  that  they  included  a  Nicodemus,  a 
Gamaliel,  and  a  Saul. 

How  is  it,  etc.  Probably  this  question  should 
be  reduced  to  the  outraged  exclamation,  "  He  eats 
with  publicans  and  sinners  ! "  (see  R.V.  text  and 
marg.).  The  inclusion  of  an  individual  publican 
among  His  disciples  might  possibly,  under  protest, 
have  been  condoned :  this  open  association  with 
the  class  is  a  scandal.     Yet,  is  it  a  lurking  sense  of 


60  Westminster  New  Testament 

shame  and  duty  neglected  that  makes  them  address 
the  remonstrance  to  the  disciples  and  not  to  the 
Master  ?  In  the  following  question  as  to  a  detail 
of  religious  observance  they  come  to  Him  direct. 

17.  physician.  An  illuminating  definition  of 
the  function  of  a  religious  teacher,  setting  at  once 
in  clear  light  the  action  of  Jesus  and  the  foolish 
estimate  of  it  which  would  suggest  that  a  physician 
of  souls  should  hold  aloof  from  the  very  people  who 
need  him. 

I  Came,  etc.  The  definition  of  the  mission  of 
Jesus  also  marks  out  its  objects,  the  sinners,  banned 
as  outcasts  by  respectable  religion,  and  therefore  its 
condemnation.  In  the  word  "  righteous "  Jesus 
takes  the  Pharisees  at  their  own  valuation  :  they 
can  have  no  need  of  Him,  but  these  others  have. 
Nor  does  He  simply  wait  the  appeal,  but  Himself 
"  calls  "  (lit.  "  invites  "  as  to  a  feast) :  cf.  Luke  xiv. 
13,  and  the  parable  which  follows  ;  also  Matt.  xi. 
28  ;  Luke  xix.  10. 

to  repentance.  R.V.  omits,  and  also  in  Matt, 
ix.  13.  The  words  are  found  in  Luke  v.  32,  but 
are  hardly  appropriate  in  this  context  of  free  and 
gracious  intercourse  with  the  despised  publicans 
and  sinners.  In  Matthew's  account  the  contrast 
between  the  religion  of  the  Pharisee,  with  no 
gospel  in  it  for  the  lost,  and  the  gracious  ministry 
of  Jesus,  is  pointed  by  the  quotation  from  Hosea 
vi.  6,  "I  desire  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice"  (Matt. 
ix.  13  ;  cf.  also  xii.  7). 


St.  Mark  ii.  18-22  61 


Mark  ii.  18-22;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  14-17  =  Luke  v.  33-39. 
A  QUESTION  ABOUT  FASTING. 

18  And  the  disciples  of  John  and  of  the  Pharisees  used  to  fast : 
and  they  come  and  say  unto  him,  Why  do  the  disciples 
of  John  and  of  the  Pharisees   fast,  but  thy  disciples  fast 

19  not  ?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Can  the  children  of  the 
bridechamber  fast,  while  the  bridegroom  is  with  them  ?  as 
long  as  they  have  the  bridegroom  with  them,  they  cannot 

20  fast.  But  the  days  will  come,  when  the  bridegroom  shall 
be  taken  away  from  them,  and  then  shall  they  fast  in  those 

21  days.  No  man  also  seweth  a  piece  of  new  cloth  on  an  old 
garment  :  else  the  new  piece  that  filled  it  up  taketh  away 

22  from  the  old,  and  the  rent  is  made  worse.  And  no  man 
putteth  new  wine  into  old  bottles :  else  the  new  wine 
doth  burst  the  bottles,  and  the  wine  is  spilled,  and  the 
bottles  will  be  marred  :  but  new  wine  must  be  put  into 
new  bottles. 

Jesus  has  vindicated  His  mission  to  the  despised 
and  outcast.  But  to  accomplish  this,  need  He  and 
His  disciples  dispense  with  existing  religious  forms, 
the  frequent  observance  of  fasting  and  prayer 
(Luke)  ?  The  question  comes  first  from  the  disciples 
of  John,  and  is  perplexed  rather  than  hostile.  For  in 
His  call  to  repentance  and  moral  revival  Jesus  had 
but  taken  up  the  burden  of  John's  ministry.  Yet 
the  earlier  movement  remained  one  within  Judaism  : 
while  denouncing  the  hypocrisies  of  Pharisaism, 
John  and  his  disciples  were  still  strict  observers  of 
Pharisaic  tradition.  On  this  point,  then,  the 
Pharisees  find  unexpected  allies,  and  the  united 
challenge  leads  to  a  fuller  disclosure  of  the  spirit 
and  the  requirements  of  the  new  faith.     It  is  prob- 


62   Westminster  New  Testament 

able  that  the  whole  section  has  primary  reference 
to  the  perplexity  of  the  disciples  of  John. 

18.  R.V.,  "And  John's  disciples  and  the  Phari- 
sees were  fasting/'  i.e.,  were  then  observing  one 
of  the  traditional  fasts.  (Matthew  and  Luke 
have  the  general  statement  "fast  often.")  The 
Law  enjoined  only  an  annual  fast,  on  the  Day  of 
Atonement ;  tradition  had  added  many  ("  twice  in 
the  week/'  Luke  xviii.  12),  with  ostentatious  signs 
of  mourning  (Matt.  vi.  16). 

19-  Fasting  is  right  and  good  only  if  real :  it  may 
become  unreal  through  incongruity  with  the  spirit 
of  the  religion  of  which  it  professes  to  be  a  mani- 
festation. Jesus  was  preaching  the  good  tidings 
of  the  kingdom  of  God,  healing  the  sick,  welcom- 
ing publicans  and  sinners.  As  well  might  those 
responsible  for  the  prolonged  and  joyous  feastings 
of  an  Eastern  wedding  suddenly  betake  themselves 
to  fasting,  as  the  adherents  of  so  glad  a  ministry ! 

Children.  R.V.,  "sons  of  the  bride-chamber." 
An  Aramaic  expression  for  friends  of  the  bride- 
groom, "  groomsmen,"  responsible  for  the  arrange- 
ment and  success  of  the  wedding  festivities,  which 
might  extend  over  seven  or  even  fourteen  days 
(Judg.  xiv.  17;  Tob.  viii.  20). 

20.  Did  these  words  as  spoken  by  Jesus  simply 
belong  to  the  illustration,  assuming  perhaps  a 
deeper  significance  to  His  disciples  as  they  recalled 
them  after  His  death  ?  Or  were  they  spoken  with 
reference  to  Himself,  involving  a  prevision  of  the 
Cross  ?  If  so,  He  identifies  Himself  with  the 
bridegroom  of  the  illustration,  and  His  choice  of 
this  term  has  seemed  to  many  to  involve  a  notable 
claim,  for  this  is  the  figure  by  which  the  O.T. 
prophets  repeatedly  describe  Jehovah's  relation  to 


St.  Mark  ii.  18-22  63 

His  people :  see  Hos.  ii.  19,  20 ;  Isa.  liv.  5 ;  and 
cf.  Matt.  xxv.  1-13;  John  iii.  29.  It  may  be 
doubted,  however,  whether  any  such  reference  is 
here  intended,  or  whether  a  forecast  of  His  death 
naturally  has  place  in  this  first  period  of  the 
Ministry:  see  viii.  31.  And  would  He  suggest 
to  His  disciples  that  when  He  was  gone  was  their 
fit  time  for  mourning  ?  See  Luke  xxiv.  6,  25,  52. 
The  words  seem  rather  an  added  touch  to  the 
picture.  Even  for  the  sons  of  the  bride-chamber 
there  will  be  a  time  to  fast  as  well  as  a  time  to 
feast :  it  may  come  for  His  disciples  as,  indeed, 
it  has  already  come  for  those  of  John,  whose 
master  has  been  taken  from  them  (i.  14).  So, 
while  justifying  His  followers,  He  yet  refrains  from 
condemning  their  critics,  and  even,  perhaps,  sym- 
pathises with  them  in  the  experiences  out  of  which 
their  questions  arose  (see  n.  on  ver.  22). 

21.  The  thought  widens  out  from  the  specific 
question  of  fasting  to  the  general  relation  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  to  existing  religious  forms.  The 
illustration  just  used  assumes  that  the  spirit  of  His 
ministry  is  glad,  and  therefore  incongruous  with 
the  symbol  of  mourning  :  the  two  parabolic  sayings 
which  follow  assume  that  it  is  new,  and  that  its 
expanding  life  can  only  be  cramped  into  worn-out 
forms  at  peril  of  disaster  both  to  old  and  new. 

R.V.  (following  an  amended  text),  "No  man 
seweth  a  piece  of  undressed  cloth  on  an  old 
garment :  else  that  which  should  fill  it  up  taketh 
from  it,  the  new  from  the  old,  and  a  worse  rent 
is  made." 

The  patch  of  harsh  unbleached  cloth  shrinks, 
and  tears  away  the  edges  of  the  old.  The  in- 
considerate attempt  to  reform  is  not  only  fruitless, 


64   Westminster  New  Testament 

but  makes   what  it   seeks   to    mend   worse   than 
before. 

In  the  Lukan  form  of  this  parable  both  the 
absurdity  of  the  action  and  the  consequent  mis- 
chief receive  additional  emphasis.  A  new  garment 
is  cut  up  to  mend  an  old :  the  new  one  is  ruined, 
and  the  old  is  nothing  improved  by  its  unsightly 
patch.  The  simpler  and  less  extravagant  version 
would  seem  to  be  original. 

22.  bottles.  R.V.,  "wine-skins."  Hard  and 
worn  thin  by  use,  with  no  strength  to  resist  the 
pressure  of  the  fermenting  wine  :  cf.  Josh.  ix.  4,  13. 

new  wine  .  .  .  new  bottles.  R.V., »  new  wine 
.  .  .  fresh  wine-skins."  Different  Greek  words  for 
new ;  the  former  meaning  new  in  time,  just  made  ; 
the  latter,  new  in  quality. 

The  parable  differs  from  the  other  one  in  speak- 
ing of  a  double  injury  from  the  attempt  to  combine 
new  and  old.  There  were  many  who  still  found 
in  the  forms  of  Judaism  the  vehicle  of  a  true 
religious  life :  those  especially  who  had  welcomed 
the  moral  revival  under  John  the  Baptist  would 
feel  that  the  old,  so  far  from  being  done  away, 
was  vitalised  anew.  For  them,  any  partial  adoption 
of  the  practices  of  Jesus  and  His  disciples  would 
be  inconsistent  and  harmful.  Jesus  does  not 
condemn  them.  There  is  a  third  parabolic  saying 
in  Luke  in  which  He  seems,  with  sympathetic 
understanding,  to  accept  the  attitude  of  John's 
disciples :  "  And  no  man  having  drunk  old  wine 
desireth  new  ;  for  he  saith,  The  old  is  good."  But 
for  all  this,  Christianity  was  not  to  be  a  reformed 
Judaism.  This  danger  beset  it  later,  and  brought 
upon  the  Apostle  Paul  the  great  controversy  of 
his  life.     The  new  faith  must,  untrammelled,  work 


St.  Mark  ii.  23-28  65 

out  its  own  destiny,  make  its  own  forms,  choose 
and  mould  its  own  instruments.  Jesus  could  say 
of  John,  "  Among  them  that  are  bom  of  women 
there  is  none  greater,"  but  in  the  same  con- 
nection He  must  also  say,  in  fidelity  to  His  own 
mission,  "He  that  is  but  little  in  the  kingdom 
of  God  is  greater  than  he,"  and  with  all  sympathy 
for  the  struggle  and  the  choice  between  old  and 
new,  "  Blessed  is  he,  whosoever  shall  find  none 
occasion  of  stumbling  in  me"  (Luke  vii.  18-35  ; 
not  in  Mark,  but  an  illuminating  comment  on  this 
section). 


Mark  ii.  23-28  ;  cf.  Matt.  xii.  1-8= Luke  vi.  1-5. 
FIRST  SABBATH  CONTROVERSY. 

23  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  went  through  the  corn  fields 
on  the  sabbath  day ;  and  his  disciples  began,  as  they  went, 

24  to  pluck  the  ears  of  corn.  And  the  Pharisees  said  unto 
him,    Behold,    why   do   they   on   the   sabbath    day    that 

25  which  is  not  lawful?  And  he  said  unto  them,  Have  ye 
never  read  what  David  did,  when  he  had  need,  and  was  an 

26  hungred,  he,  and  they  that  were  with  him  ?  How  he 
went  into  the  house  of  God  in  the  days  of  Abiathar,  the 
high  priest,  and  did  eat  the  shewbread,  which  is  not  lawful 
to  eat  but  for  the  priests,  and  gave  also  to  them  which  were 

27  with  him?     And  he   said   unto  them,    The  sabbath   was 

28  made  for  man,  and  not  man  for  the  sabbath :  therefore 
the  Son  of  man  is  Lord  also  of  the  sabbath. 

The  two  Sabbath  incidents  which  follow  are 
common  to  the  three  Synoptics  (Matt.  xii.  ;  Luke 
vi.)  :  two  others  are  found  in  Luke  (chaps,  xiii.,  xiv.), 
and  two  in  John  (chaps,  v.,  ix.).     For  the  amazing 

5 


66   Westminster  New  Testament 

development  of  the  law  of  the  Sabbath  in 
Rabbinic  tradition  see  Edersheim,  Life  and  Times 
of  Jesus  the  Messiah,  Appendix  xvn.  Jesus  again 
recalls  from  ceremonial  observance  to  spirit  and 
reality,  and  makes  His  appeal  to  those  instincts  of 
humanity  which  a  callous  legalism  had  set  aside. 

23.  pluck.  Held  by  the  Rabbis  to  be  reaping, 
and  therefore  forbidden  (Ex.  xxxiv.  21).  Luke 
adds,  "rubbing  them  in  their  hands,"  a  further 
sin  of  threshing. 

24.  not  lawful.  Lawful  in  itself  (Deut.  xxiii. 
25),  but  not  on  the  Sabbath.  How  can  one  with 
any  pretensions  to  be  a  religious  teacher  have  so 
failed  in  needful  instructions  to  his  disciples  ? 

25.  An  appeal  from  perverted  tradition  to  their 
own  Scriptures  (cf.  xii.  10,  26,  36 ;  Matt.  xix.  4, 
xxi.  16).  Matthew  clinches  the  argument  here  by 
two  additional  O.T.  references  (xii.  5,  7). 

26.  The  incident  is  found  in  1  Sam.  xxi.  1-6,  and 
occurred  under  Ahimelech,  not  his  son  Abiathar. 

27.  A  saying  preserved  by  Mark  only.  The 
Sabbath  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  an  institution 
which  is  independent  of  man,  and  which  man  was 
born  into  the  world  to  observe.  It  "  was  made," 
or,  rather,  "  came  into  existence,"  for  man's  sake, 
and  is  subject,  therefore,  not  to  unreal  scruples 
and  artificial  restrictions,  but  to  human  necessities. 
We  may  be  sure  that  Jesus  had  profound  regard 
to  the  sacredness  of  the  Sabbath  :  He  does  not  set 
aside  its  Divine  sanction,  but  interprets  it.  And 
there  is  no  peril  in  accepting  the  frankly  humani- 
tarian ground  on  which  He  bases  Sabbath  ob- 
servance, if  at  the  same  time  we  accept  His 
estimate  of  human  needs.  There  are  needs — 
mental,    physical,    social — which    claim    a    day    of 


St.  Mark  iii.  1-6  67 

rest.  These,  wisely  interpreted,  may  appeal  to 
His  authority,  but  the  appeal  runs  fatally  short  if 
those  deeper,  religious  needs  are  overlooked  which 
claim  a  day  of  worship. 

28.  A  saying  found  in  each  of  the  three  accounts, 
but  most  pointed  in  Mark,  who  alone  has  therefore 
and  also  (or  "  even  "). 

the  Son  of  man.  The  phrase  creates  a 
similar  difficulty  to  that  in  ver.  10.  The  context 
does  not  at  all  lead  up  to  the  assertion  that  Jesus 
Himself,  as  Messiah,  has  authority  over  the 
Sabbath  :  He  is  vindicating  the  action  of  the 
disciples,  not  His  own  in  permitting  them  to  pluck 
and  eat.  We  must  again,  therefore,  regard  the 
phrase  as  equivalent  to  "  man."  Man,  for  whom  the 
Sabbath  was  made,  is  its  lord,  or,  rather,  its 
"  owner,"  to  use  it  as  his  true  needs  dictate. 


Mark  iii.  1-6 ;  cf.  Matt.  xii.  9-14=  Luke  vi.  6-11. 
SECOND  SABBATH  CONTROVERSY. 

And  he  entered  again  into  the  synagogue ;  and  there  was 

2  a  man  there  which  had  a  withered  hand.  And  they 
watched  him,  whether  he  would  heal  him  on  the  sabbath 

3  day  ;  that  they  might  accuse  him.     And  he  saith  unto  the 

4  man  which  had  the  withered  hand,  Stand  forth.  And  he 
saith  unto  them,  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good  on  the  sabbath 
days,  or  to  do  evil  ?   to  save  life,  or  to  kill  ?     But   they 

5  held  their  peace.  And  when  he  had  looked  round  about 
on  them  with  anger,  being  grieved  for  the  hardness  of 
their  hearts,  he  saith  unto  the  man,  Stretch  forth  thine 
hand.     And    he   stretched    it   out :    and    his    hand   was 

6  restored  whole  as  the  other.  And  the  Pharisees  went  forth, 
and  straightway  took  counsel  with  the  Herodians  against 
him,  how  they  might  destroy  him. 


68   Westminster  New  Testament 

In  this  incident  as  in  the  last  Jesus  appeals  from 
tradition  to  principle,  from  a  pitiless  formalism  to 
instincts  of  humanity.  Two  new  features  present 
themselves :  a  hostile  watching  of  Jesus,  in  the 
hope  that  He  might  put  Himself  within  the  power 
of  Jewish  Law  (so  too  in  Luke  :  in  Matthew  a 
direct  challenge  is  substituted  for  the  watching), 
and,  as  the  sequel,  a  determination  to  destroy  Him. 

1.  withered.  Shrunk  and  wasted.  This  in- 
firmity is  mentioned  only  here  in  the  Synoptics : 
from  John  v.  3  it  would  seem  to  have  been 
common.  Compare  the  story  of  Jeroboam  (1  Kings 
xiii.  4-6). 

2.  accuse  him.  I.e.,  to  the  Sanhedrin.  They 
were  convinced  of  the  compassion  of  Jesus  and  of 
His  marvellous  powers  as  a  healer,  but  prejudice, 
under  guise  of  religious  scruple,  leaves  them 
unimpressed.  The  climax  of  such  deliberate 
hardening  of  the  heart  appears  in  vers.  22-30. 

4.  In  the  case  of  actual  danger  to  life,  Rabbinic 
law  permitted  the  necessary  st  work  "  in  the  use  of 
remedies  forbidden  in  any  lesser  emergency.  In 
Matthew  (xii.  11)  Jesus  makes  explicit  appeal  to 
this  humane  provision  (cf.  Luke  xiv.  5) ;  so  here, 
in  asking  whether  it  is  lawful  "to  save  a  life." 
But  He  prefaces  this  by  a  question  as  to  which 
their  law  gave  no  guidance,  yet  which  went  to  the 
heart  of  the  matter.  Is  it  lawful  to  do  good  ? 
The  humane  impulse,  if  valid  in  the  one  instance, 
is  valid  everywhere,  greater  than  the  u  religious  " 
scruple  which  would  check  it. 

5.  This  searching  look  of  Jesus  is  recorded  on 
four  other  occasions  in  Mark's  graphic  story  (ver.  34, 
v.  32,  x.  23,  xi.  11),  elsewhere  only  in  this  same 
context  in  Luke  (vi.  10).     Possibly  a  reminiscence 


St.   Mark  iii.  7-12  69 

of  Peter,  who  had  cause  to  remember  another  look 
of  his  Master  (Luke  xxii.  6l). 

anger.  Justified  by  its  cause  and  its  accom- 
paniment of  sorrow. 

hardness.  R.V.,  a  hardening."  A  deliberate, 
gradual  process.  The  original  word  applies  to 
things  moral  and  spiritual  a  figure  derived  from 
the  ossification,  the  becoming  bony,  of  softer 
animal  tissues :  the  same  metaphor  underlies  our 
word  "callous."     Again  at  vi.  52,  viii.  17. 

6.  The  Herodians  (named  again  at  xii.  13) 
were  a  political  party  whose  hopes  for  their  nation 
centred  in  a  restoration  of  the  monarchy  under 
the  dynasty  of  the  Herods.  An  unnatural 
alliance  between  worldly  policy  and  religious 
strictness,  inspired  by  a  common  hatred  and  a 
common  fear  lest  this  new  enthusiasm  should 
thwart  their  aims. 


Mark  iii.  7-12 ;  cf.  Matt.  iv.  23-25,  xii.  15-21 ; 
Luke  vi.  12-19. 

GREAT  MULTITUDES  GATHER  TO  JESUS. 

7  But  Jesus  withdrew  himself  with  his  disciples  to  the  sea  : 
and  a  great  multitude  from  Galilee  followed  him,  and  from 

8  Judcea,  and  from  Jerusalem,  and  from  Idum?ea,  and  from 
beyond  Jordan  ;  and  they  about  Tyre  and  Sidon,  a  great 
multitude,  when  they  had  heard  what  great  things  he  did, 

9  came  unto  him.  And  he  spake  to  his  disciples,  that  a 
small  ship  should  wait  on  him  because  of  the  multitude, 

10  lest  they  should  throng  him.     For  he  had  healed  many ; 
insomuch  that  they  pressed  upon  him  for  to  touch  him,  as 

11  many  as  had   plagues.     And  unclean   spirits,  when   they 


70  Westminster  New  Testament 

saw  him,  fell  down  before  him,  and  cried,  saying,  Thou 
12  art  the  Son  of  God.     And  he  straitly  charged  them  that 
they  should  not  make  him  known. 

The  declared  hostility  against  Jesus  leads  to  His 
withdrawal  from  the  town  to  the  seashore,  where 
He  becomes  the  object  of  a  great  demonstration 
of  popular  enthusiasm.  His  answer  both  to  enmity 
and  to  unsought  notoriety  is  the  appointing  of  the 
Twelve  (vers.  13-19). 

8.  The  Galilaean  multitude  is  now  increased  by 
crowds  from  the  South,  the  East,  and  even  the  far 
North.  But  it  was  the  fame  of  Jesus  as  a  wonder 
worker,  not  as  a  teacher,  that  had  drawn  them 
together. 

9.  The  superstitious  desire  to  touch  Jesus  put 
Him  in  actual  bodily  danger.  The  boat,  provided 
for  escape,  was  afterwards  used  as  a  pulpit  (iv.  1). 

10.  plagues.  Lit.  "scourges"  (same  word  as 
Acts  xxii.  24),  sickness  being  viewed  as  Divine 
chastisement :  again  at  v.  29,  34. 

12.  See  note  on  i.  34. 


Mark  iii.  13-iga ;  cf.  Matt.  x.  2-4 ;  Luke  vi.  12-16. 
THE  APPOINTING  OF  THE  TWELVE. 

13  And  he  goeth  up  into  a  mountain,  and  calleth  unto  him 

14  whom   he   would  :    and   they   came   unto   him.     And   he 
ordained  twelve,  that  they  should  be  with  him,  and  that  he 

15  might  send  them  forth  to  preach,  and  to  have  power  to 

16  heal  sicknesses,  and  to  cast   out   devils  :    and   Simon  he 

17  surnamed  Peter ;    and   James   the   son   of  Zebedee,    and 
John   the   brother   of   James ;    and    he    surnamed    them 

18  Boanerges,  which  is,  The  sons  of  thunder :  and  Andrew, 


St.   Mark  iii.   I3-I9a  71 

and  Philip,  and  Bartholomew,  and  Matthew,  and  Thomas, 
and  James    the    son    of  Alphseus,    and    Thaddaeus,    and 
19  Simon   the   Canaanite,    and    Judas    Iscariot,    which   also 
betrayed  him. 

See  notes  on  i.  16-20.  The  time  has  come  when 
in  face  of  opposition  and  an  embarrassing  popularity 
Jesus  determines  to  multiply  His  activities,  especi- 
ally of  preaching,  through  chosen  messengers. 
Luke  tells  us  that  the  choice  was  made  after  a 
night  spent  in  prayer  (vi.  12),  and  was  followed  by 
the  "  Sermon  on  the  Plain,"  omitted  from  Mark's 
Gospel. 

13.  a  mountain.  R.V.,  "the  mountain."  The 
high  ground  rising  from  the  shores  of  the  lake. 

14.  ordained.  R.V.,  "appointed."  The  lan- 
guage is  finely  suggestive  of  the  essential  conditions 
of  Christian  service — the  Master's  call,  the  Master's 
companionship,  then  the  Master's  commission  to 
preach. 

15.  R.Y.  omits  to  heal  sicknesses  and, 
limiting  the  commission  to  preaching  and  expulsion 
of  demons  :  see  notes  on  i.  35-39- 

16.  Peter.  The  Greek  form  of  the  Aramaic  name 
actually  bestowed,  Cephas,  "  a  rock."  According 
to  Matthew,  the  name  was  conferred  in  response  to 
his  confession  (xvi.  18). 

17.  Boanerges.  Only  named  here.  The  word 
is  a  perplexity  to  scholars :  probably  "  sons  of 
thunder  "  is  rather  a  paraphrase  than  an  accurate 
translation.  For  justification  of  the  title  see  ix.  38  ; 
Luke  ix.  54. 

18.  The  disciples  of  this  verse  are,  in  the 
Synoptics,  mere  names :  in  the  Fourth  Gospel, 
Andrew,  Philip,  and  Thomas  assume  some  little 


72   Westminster  New  Testament 

prominence,  and  it  is  possible  that  Bartholomew 
("son  of  Tolmai")  appears  there  in  his  own  name 
of  Nathanael. 

Thaddaeus.  In  Luke,  "Judas  the  son  of  James." 

Canaanite.  R.V.  "Cananaean."  An  Aramaic 
word,  for  which  in  Luke's  lists  (vi.  15  ;  Acts  i.  13) 
we  have  the  Greek  equivalent,  "the  Zealot." 
The  title  suggests  that  this  Simon  was  a  member 
of  the  fanatical  sect  of  Zealots,  extremists  in  ob- 
servance and  defence  of  the  Jewish  Law  :  possibly, 
however,  it  marks  personal  character,  uncom- 
promising zeal  for  truth  and  right. 

19-  Iscariot.  i.e.,  "man  of  Kerioth."  Hisfather, 
Simon,  was  of  the  same  town  (John  vi.  71,  R.V.). 

betrayed.  The  shameful  deed  has  attached 
itself  to  the  very  name,  and  so  repeatedly 
throughout  the  Gospels:  cf.  "one  of  the  twelve" 
(xiv.  10). 


Mark  iii.  i9b-30  ;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  32-34,  xii.  22-45  J 
Luke  xi.  14-32,  xii.  10. 

ACCUSATION  AND  REPLY. 

19  and  they  went  into  an  house.     And  the  multitude  cometh 

20  together  again,  so  that  they  could  not  so  much  as  eat  bread. 

21  And  when  his  friends  heard  of  it,  they  went  out  to  lay  hold 

22  on  him  :  for  they  said,  He  is  beside  himself.  And  the 
scribes  which  came  down  from  Jerusalem  said,  He  hath 
Beelzebub,  and  by  the  prince  of  the  devils  casteth  he  out 

23  devils.     And  he  called  them  unto  him,  and  said  unto  them 

24  in  parables,  How  can  Satan  cast  out  Satan?  And  if  a 
kingdom  be  divided  against  itself,  that  kingdom  cannot  stand. 

25  And  if  a  house  be  divided  against  itself,  that  house  cannot 

26  stand.    And  if  Satan  rise  up  against  himself,  and  be  divided, 

27  he  cannot  stand,  but  hath  an  end.     No  man  can  enter  into 


St.  Mark  iii.  i9b~30  73 

a  strong  man's  house,  and  spoil  his  goods,  except  he  will 
first  bind  the  strong  man  ;  and  then  he  will  spoil  his  house. 

28  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  All  sins  shall  be  forgiven  unto  the 
sons  of  men,  and  blasphemies  wherewith  soever  they  shall 

29  blaspheme  :  but  he  that  shall  blaspheme  against  the  Holy 
Ghost  hath  never  forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of  eternal 

30  damnation :    because    they  said,    He    hath    an    unclean 
spirit. 

Yet  another  picture  of  the  unbounded  enthusiasm 
which  the  doings  of  Jesus  excited,  and  two  judg- 
ments upon  Him,  one  of  misunderstanding,  the 
other  of  malignant  enmity.  The  accounts  in 
Matthew  and  Luke  are  more  extended. 

19b,  20.  Mark's  setting  of  the  scenes  which  follow. 
Even  "at  home"  no  privacy  or  chance  to  take  a  meal. 

21.  Peculiar  to  Mark.  His  family,  who  have 
known  Him  in  the  quiet  home  at  Nazareth,  cannot 
understand  the  reports  that  reach  them.  Surely  this 
is  madness,  needing  the  restraint  and  care  of  His 
kinsfolk  ?  So,  troubled,  they  start  for  Capernaum  : 
the  sequel  appears  in  vers.  31-35. 

22.  Influential  religious  leaders  have  come  down 
to  see  and  to  condemn.  They  cannot  deny  the 
supernatural  cures,  but  can  at  least  assert  them  to 
be  the  work  of  the  devil. 

Beelzebub.  Apparently  an  opprobious  name  for 
Satan,  prince  of  the  demons,  derived  from  the  story 
of  Ahaziah's  idolatry  in  inquiring  of  Baal-zebub 
(u  Lord  of  flies  "),  the  god  of  Ekron  (2  Kings  i.). 

23.  Jesus  exposes  the  logic  of  their  reckless 
assertion  under  two  parables  or  comparisons,  a 
kingdom  rent  by  civil  war,  a  household  weakened 
by  dissension  and  strife.  That  is  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  Satan's  kingdom  if,  as  they  say,  he  is 
using  his  power  to  expel  his  own  subordinates  :  to 


74   Westminster  New  Testament 

fight  against  himself  in  this  way  would  be  self- 
destruction,  and  is  unthinkable. 

27.  The  true  meaning  of  His  cures,  obvious  to  any 
not  blinded  by  prejudice,  is  that  a  stronger  than 
Satan  has  broken  his  power. 

28.  Verily.  The  first  instance  of  this  formula, 
used  to  introduce  a  solemn  warning.  It  shows 
how  deeply  Jesus  was  moved  by  the  accusation. 

sins  and  blasphemies.  The  second  term 
refers  to  the  aggravated  guilt  of  irreverence  and 
presumption  against  God.  Even  this  may  be  re- 
pented of  and  forgiven. 

29.  To  see  the  beneficent  works  of  Jesus,  to 
acknowledge  their  reality  and  supernatural  power, 
and  yet  to  be  so  filled  with  prejudice  and  hatred  as 
to  dare  ascribe  them  to  Satan  and  to  declare  that 
this  wonderful  caster  out  of  demons  is  Himself 
possessed  by  the  mightiest  demon  of  all,  what  is 
this  but  to  blaspheme  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
the  very  Spirit  and  Source  of  all  good  ?  Such  sin 
has  no  place  for  repentance,  leaves  Jesus  no  further 
ground  of  appeal.  For  it  means  the  final  denial  of 
good  and  the  enthronement  of  evil  in  its  place :  it 
is  to  say,  with  Milton's  Satan, 

"All  good  to  me  is  lost. 
Evil,  be  thou  my  good." 

And  the  man  who  has  lost  all  sense  of  good  cannot 
repent  or  be  forgiven  ;  his  sin  is  eternal,  persisting 
unchanged   and  unchangeable   into  the   world    to 
come. 
is  in  danger  of  eternal  damnation.    R.V., 

"  is  guilty  of  an  eternal  sin."  It  is  not  a  question 
of  a  possible  danger  of  punishment,  but  of  actual 
guilt  of  irremediable  sin. 


St.  Mark  iii.  31-35  75 

30.  An  editorial  note,  explaining  what  was  the 
sufficient  cause  that  moved  Jesus  to  utter  so 
terrible  a  warning.  This  suggests — what  has 
sometimes  been  forgotten  in  their  interpretation — 
that  such  words  are  not  to  be  isolated  from  their 
context,  but  estimated  as  a  judgment  upon  this 
venomous  hatred  of  good  for  its  own  sake.  So, 
too,  the  declarations  of  Heb.  vi.  6,  x.  29  are 
prompted  by  the  persistent  and  fierce  apostasy 
which  the  writer  describes.  We  may  suppose  the 
"sin  unto  death"  (1  John  v.  16)  to  have  some 
similar  reference  ;  but  all  these  passages  rather 
warn  us  to  be  on  our  guard  against  the  insidious 
beginnings  of  a  sin  against  -the  light,"  than  invite 
to  vain  speculation  as  to  the  point  at  which  the 
sin  becomes  an  unforgivable  blasphemy  against 
the  Holy  Spirit. 


Mark  iii.  31-35  ;  cf.  Matt.  xii.  46-50= Luke  viii.  19-21. 
THE  TRUE  KINSFOLK  OF  JESUS. 

31  There  came  then  his  brethren  and  his  mother,  and,  standing 

32  without,  sent  unto  him,  calling  him.  And  the  multitude 
sat  about  him,  and  they  said  unto  him,  Behold,  thy  mother 

33  and  thy  brethren  without  seek  for  thee.     And  he  answered 

34  them,  saying,  Who  is  my  mother,  or  my  brethren  ?  And 
he  looked  round  about  on  them  which  sat  about  him,  and 

35  said,  Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren  !  For  whosoever 
shall  do  the  will  of  God,  the  same  is  my  brother,  and  my 
sister,  and  mother. 

The  sequel  of  ver.  21.  Jesus  is  still  in  the  house, 
but  the  scene  of  bitter  strife  has  changed  to  one  of 
absorbed  interest  in  His  teaching.  Just  when,  for 
the  moment,  every  hindrance  to  the  free  exercise 


76   Westminster  New  Testament 

of  His  ministry  was  removed,  there  comes  this 
intervention  of  His  own  family.  Their  mistaken 
claim  can  only  be  put  aside  by  the  assertion  of  a 
deeper  kinship  with  all  who  do  the  will  of  God. 
Thus  Jesus  Himself  experienced  the  pain  of  renun- 
ciation, as  well  as  the  blessedness  to  which  He 
summoned  His  followers  (x.  29  ;  cf.  Matt.  x.  34-39). 
35.  do  the  will  of  God.  Here  only  in  Mark, 
an  isolation  which  throws  into  more  impressive 
relief  this  ultimate  purpose  of  our  Lord's  life  and 
ministry.  In  Matt.  vii.  21  it  appears  as  the  test 
of  a  professed  loyalty  to  Christ.  Other  significant 
instances  are  the  clause  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  (Matt, 
vi.  10)  and  the  victory  of  Gethsemane  (Matt.  xxvi. 
42),  while  in  the  Fourth  Gospel  the  phrase  comes 
into  new  prominence. 


Mark  iv.  1-34. 

TEACHING  IN  PARABLES. 

I.  The  Parable  of  the  Sower  (vers.  1-9 ;  cf.  Matt, 
xiii.  1-9  =  Luke  viii.  4-8). 

And  he  began  again  to  teach  by  the  sea  side  :  and  there  was 
gathered  unto  him  a  great  multitude,  so  that  he  entered 
into  a  ship,  and  sat  in  the  sea ;  and  the  whole  multitude 

2  was  by  the  sea  on  the  land.  And  he  taught  them  many 
things   by   parables,    and   said    unto    them   in    his    doc- 

3  trine,  Hearken ;  Behold,  there  went  out  a  sower  to  sow  : 

4  and  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  sowed,  some  fell  by  the  way 

5  side,  and  the  fowls  of  the  air  came  and  devoured  it  up.  And 
some  fell  on  stony  ground,  where  it  had  not  much  earth  ; 
and  immediately  it  sprang  up,  because  it  had  no  depth  of 

6  earth  :    but  when  the  sun   was  up,  it   was  scorched ;  and 

7  because  it  had  no  root,  it  withered  away.     And  some  fell 


St.   Mark  iv.  1-9  77 

among  thorns,  and  the  thorns  grew  up,  and  choked  it,  and 

8  it  yielded  no  fruit.  And  other  fell  on  good  ground,  and 
did  yield  fruit  that  sprang  up  and  increased  ;  and  brought 
forth,  some  thirty,  and  some  sixty,  and  some  an  hundred. 

9  And  he  said  unto  them,  He  that  hath  ears  to  hear,  let  him 
hear. 

Mark  now  calls  attention  to  a  characteristic  feature 
of  the  teaching  of  Jesus,  and  gives  instances.  It 
was  in  parables.  The  truths  concerning  the 
kingdom  of  God  were  set  forth  under  similitudes, 
concrete,  vivid,  familiar,  drawn  from  actual  or 
possible  experience.  When,  for  example,  Jesus 
wanted  to  bring  home  the  conviction  that  the 
kingdom  He  had  but  begun  to  establish  was 
destined  for  universal  empire,  He  invites  His  hearers 
to  look  round  for  a  comparison :  "  How  shall  we 
liken  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  or  in  what  parable 
shall  we  set  it  forth  ? "  (ver.  30),  and  instances  the 
astonishing  growth  of  the  tiny  mustard  seed.  No 
form  of  teaching  would  seem  more  suited  to  appeal 
to  an  Eastern  crowd :  it  is  not  without  some 
perplexity  that  we  learn  that  the  transparent 
simplicity  of  these  parables  proved  to  be  a  veil, 
hiding,  even  designed  to  hide,  the  truth  beneath 
(see  notes  on  vers.  10-12). 

1.  Compare  iii.  9-  By  this  time  crowds  gather 
not  only  to  His  cures  but  to  His  teaching,  attracted 
no  doubt  by  its  fresh  and  vivid  simplicity. 

2.  doctrine.  R.V.,"  teaching."  Mark  emphasises 
(again  in  ver.  33)  the  habitual  use  of  parable,  then 
gives  three  examples.  Matthew  in  the  same 
context  (chap,  xiii.)  has  seven. 

parables.  Mark  has  already  recorded  two 
(ii.  21,  22),  and  has  once  used  the  word  of  an 
illustrative  saying  (iii.  23;  cf.  vii.  17).     After  this 


78   Westminster  New  Testament 

section    he    gives     only    one     extended    parable 
(xii.  1-9). 

3.  Hearken.  A  summons  to  attention,  fitly 
introducing  this  first  and  outstanding  instance  of 
His  parables :  here  in  Mark  only  (cf.  vii.  14). 

4.  the  way  side.  The  hard  road  at  the  edge  of 
the  field  into  which  the  seed  could  not  sink. 

fowls.      Old  English  for  «  birds  "  (R. V.). 

5.  stony  ground.  R.V.,  "the  rocky  gromid." 
A  familiar  feature  of  cornfields  on  the  hills  of 
Galilee.  The  thin  layer  of  earth  on  the  under- 
lying rock  gets  more  than  its  share  of  heat  and 
transient  moisture,  and  growth  in  it  is  rapid.  But 
the  roots  cannot  strike  downwards,  and  one  day  of 
the  Eastern  sun  withers  the  plant. 

7.  thorns.  R.V.,  « the  thorns."  Said  to  be  the 
plague  of  the  farmer  in  the  East  as  weeds  are  with 
us,  outstripping  the  green  blades  in  growth,  and 
depriving  them  of  the  nourishment,  light,  and  air 
needful  for  fruition. 

8.  R.  V., "  thirty  fold,  and  sixtyfold,  and  a  hundred- 
fold."    Compare  Gen.  xxvi.  12. 

9.  A  solemn  repetition  of  the  "Hearken"  of 
ver.  3  :  even  more  impressive  in  Luke  (viii.  8,  "He 
cried,  He  that  hath  ears,"  etc.). 


TEACHING  IN  P ARABLES— (continued). 

II.  Interpretation  of  the  Parable  of  the  Sower 
(vers.  10-20;  cf.  Matt.  xiii.  10-23  =  Luke  viii.  9-15). 

io  And  when    he   was    alone,    they   that    were    about    him 

1 1  with  the  twelve  asked  of  him  the  parable.     And  he  said 

unto  them,  Unto  you  it  is  given  to  know  the  mystery  of 


St.   Mark  iv.   10-20 


79 


the  kingdom  of  God :  but  unto  them  that  are  without,  all 

12  these  things  are  done  in  parables  :  that  seeing  they  may 
see,  and  not  perceive  ;  and  hearing  they  may  hear,  and  not 
understand ;  lest  at  any  time  they  should  be  converted,  and 

13  their  sins  should  be  forgiven  them.  And  he  said  unto 
them,    Know   ye   not   this   parable?    and   how   then   will 

14  ye   know   all   parables?      The    sower   soweth   the   word. 

15  And  these  are  they  by  the  way  side,  where  the  word  is 
sown ;  but  when  they  have  heard,  Satan  cometh  immediately, 

16  and  taketh  away  the  word  that  was  sown  in  their  hearts.  And 
these  are  they  likewise  which  are  sown  on  stony  ground ; 
who,  when  they  have  heard  the  word,  immediately  receive 

17  it  with  gladness  ;  and  have  no  root  in  themselves,  and  so 
endure  but  for  a  time  :  afterward,  when  affliction  or  perse- 
cution ariseth  for  the  word's  sake,  immediately  they  are 

18  offended.     And   these   are   they   which   are   sown  among 

19  thorns  ;  such  as  hear  the  word,  and  the  cares  of  this 
world,  and  the  deceitfulness  of  riches,  and  the  lusts  of 
other  things  entering  in,  choke  the  word,  and  it  becometh 

20  unfruitful.  And  these  are  they  which  are  sown  on  good 
ground  ;  such  as  hear  the  word,  and  receive  it,  and  bring 
forth  fruit,  some  thirtyfold,  some  sixty,  and  some  an 
hundred. 

So  far  as  His  public  teaching  is  concerned,  Jesus 
leaves  such  parables  as  the  one  just  recorded,  as 
well  He  might,  to  convey  their  own  lesson.  His 
more  immediate  followers,  however, — the  Twelve 
and  others, — seem  to  have  found  them  difficult  to 
understand,  and  asked  for  and  received  an  explana- 
tion. The  same  contrast  is  repeated  at  vers.  33,  34. 
It  would  be  easy  to  understand  that  Jesus  should 
expound  more  fully  to  His  disciples  those  truths  of 
the  kingdom  which  He  set  in  simple  picture-form 
before  the  multitude.  It  is  doubtless  true,  also, 
that    such    picturesque     teaching    might    attract 


80   Westminster  New  Testament 

and  interest  the  careless,  yet  fail  to  make  any 
lasting  impression,  revealing  and  also  concealing 
the  truth.  But  these  considerations  do  not  quite 
explain  the  narrative  as  it  stands.  This  suggests, 
not  that  the  parabolic  form  was  chosen  as  at  least 
the  best  chance  of  conveying  truth  in  homely  guise 
to  the  multitude,  to  be  supplemented  by  fuller 
instruction  to  the  disciples,  but  that  it  was  chosen 
for  its  obscurity ;  its  very  purpose  was  to  conceal 
the  truth  except  from  the  privileged  few  to  whom 
the  needful  interpretation  was  vouchsafed.  Thus  a 
perplexing  turn  is  given  to  this  story  of  teaching  in 
parables  :  it  remains  to  be  seen  whether  first  im- 
pressions are  modified  in  more  detailed  exposition. 

10.  the  parable.     R.V.,  "  the  parables." 

11.  mystery.  Only  in  this  context  in  the 
Gospels ;  elsewhere  only  in  Paul  (21  times)  and  in 
Revelation  (4  times).  It  means  secret,  truth  not 
necessarily  obscure,  but  hidden,  and  made  known  to 
men  only  through  Divine  revelation.  Here,  "  the 
mystery  of  the  kingdom  of  God  "  stands  for  the 
whole  gospel  as  proclaimed  and  wrought  by  Christ. 
The  conception  is  characteristically  Pauline. 

12.  Taken  literally,  this  verse  affirms  that 
Jesus  in  speaking  His  matchless  parables  had  a 
purpose  which  it  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to 
attribute  to  Him,  least  of  all  in  the  bright  and 
hopeful  days  of  the  Galilaean  ministry.  In 
Matthew's  account  the  substitution  of  "because  "  for 
"  that "  changes  the  blindness  of  the  people  from  an 
end  in  view  to  a  present  cause  for  the  parabolic 
method  ;  but  even  so,  the  association  of  our  Lord's 
fresh  and  vivid  parables  with  the  dulness  of  His 
hearers  is  not  without  its  perplexity.  The  words  are 
a  reminiscence  of  an  O.T.  Scripture  quoted  in  full  by 


St.  Mark  iv.  10-20  81 

Matthew.  In  Isaiah's  account  of  his  call  (Isa.  vi.), 
written  down,  it  may  be  supposed,  after  years  of 
experience  of  the  reception  of  his  preaching,  he 
declares,  with  terrible  irony,  that  God's  very  com- 
missi to  him  was  to  prevent  the  people  from  accept- 
ing his  message.  He  was  to  say  to  them,  "  Hear  ye 
indeed,  but  understand  not ;  and  see  ye  indeed, 
but  perceive  not "  :  he  was  to  make  their  heart  fat, 
and  their  ears  heavy,  and  to  shut  their  eyes. 
The  Divine  purpose  through  him  was  one  of  retribu- 
tion and  judgment,  as  well  as  ultimately  of  mercy 
and  salvation.  Now  the  early  Christian  Church 
found  itself  in  a  position  like  that  of  the  prophet. 
It  had  to  confront  the  fact  that  the  Jewish  nation 
as  a  whole  had  rejected  the  Christ.  Paul  deals 
with  the  problem  in  Rom.  ix.-xi.,  and  in  justifying 
the  ways  of  God  falls  back  on  this  same  prophetic 
word  and  similar  O.T.  Scriptures  (cf.  also  Acts 
xxviii.  25).  That  is,  before  the  Synoptic  Gospels 
were  written,  Christian  thought  was  absorbed 
with  the  tragic  fact  of  the  rejection  of  Christ,  and 
the  fact  had  become  firmly  linked  with  Isaiah's 
prophecy.  This  is  confirmed  by  the  later  evidence 
of  the  Fourth  Gospel  (see  John  xii.  37-40).  If  it 
may  be  added  that,  in  pondering  the  high  themes 
connected  with  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Jesus,  the  records  of  His  Galilaean  teaching  may  have 
fallen  somewhat  into  the  background  and  lost 
something  of  their  fresh  simplicity,  it  was  but 
another  step  to  account  for  the  failure  of  the 
people  to  understand  Him  by  the  parables  in  which 
He  taught,  and  to  see  in  this  the  fulfilment  of  a 
Divine  purpose.  Perhaps,  therefore,  though  at 
some  later  period  our  Lord  may  have  applied  these 
words  of  Isaiah  in  sad  irony  to  the  results  of  His 
6 


82    Westminster  New  Testament 

own  teaching,  the  use  made  of  them  just  here  is 
hardly  historical,  but  has  taken  form  from  the 
natural  play  of  after-reflection  (of  Pauline  type) 
upon  the  facts  of  His  ministry.  This  explanation 
is  in  part  confirmed  by  the  use  of  Paul's  word 
"  mystery/'  by  the  next  verse,  and  by  the  apparent 
discrepancy  of  statement  in  vers.  33,  34  (see  notes). 

13.  Interpretation  of  the  parable  has  just  been 
admitted  to  be  necessary  and  conceded  by  special 
privilege  to  the  disciples.  Why,  then,  this  surprise 
at  their  dulness  of  understanding  ?  The  verse 
would  join  on  more  naturally  to  ver.  10.  And  the 
alternation  of  public  teaching,  private  conference, 
public  teaching  again,  is  not  very  clearly  indicated, 
and  can  scarcely  belong  to  the  history  of  a  single 
day,  as  is  implied,  however,  by  ver.  35.  A  similar 
difficulty  arises  in  regard  to  the  sequence  of  Matt, 
xiii.  1-35,  suggesting  that  the  interpretation  of 
the  parable,  with  the  question  which  led  to  it,  may 
come  from  another  context. 

14-20.  The  interpretation  speaks  for  itself,  and 
is  instructive  in  its  brevity  and  its  restraint.  The 
parable  is  not  an  allegory,  in  which  each  detail  is 
significant ;  it  is  a  simile,  which  illustrates,  lights 
up,  some  one  main  spiritual  truth  by  a  counterpart 
in  nature  or  familiar  human  experience.  A  trace 
of  allegorising  appears  here  (e.g.  "the  sower 
soweth  the  word"  and  in  the  identification  of  the 
birds  with  Satan),  but  is  only  incidental  to  the  ex- 
pression. In  substance,  just  as  the  sower  scatters 
some  seed  on  ground  which  from  various  causes  is 
unproductive,  so  the  teacher  must  expect  to  meet 
with  unreceptive  minds,  eager  yet  shallow  minds, 
preoccupied  minds,  as  well  as  with  minds  receptive 
and  fruitful.     The  parable  is  one  of  warning  and 


St.  Mark  iv.  21-25  83 

of  hope,  speaks  of  disappointment  and  failure, 
summons  to  watchfulness,  yet  ends  with  the  joy  of 
assured  and  abundant  harvest. 


TEACHING  IN  PARABLES— {continued). 

III.  Parabolic  Warnings  (vers.  21-25  ;  cf.  Matt, 
v.  15,  x.  26;  Luke  viii.  16-18,  xi.  33,  xii.  2). 

21  And  he  said  unto  them,  Is  a  candle  brought  to  be  put 
under  a  bushel,  or  under  a  bed  ?  and  not  to  be  set  on  a 

22  candlestick  ?  For  there  is  nothing  hid,  which  shall  not  be 
manifested  ;  neither  was  any  thing  kept  secret,  but  that  it 

23  should   come  abroad.     If  any  man  have  ears  to  hear,  let 

24  him  hear.  And  he  said  unto  them,  Take  heed  what  ye 
hear  :  with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be  measured  to 

25  you  :  and  unto  you  that  hear  shall  more  be  given.  For 
he  that  hath,  to  him  shall  be  given  :  and  he  that  hath  not, 
from  him  shall  be  taken  even  that  which  he  hath. 

Mark  (followed  by  Luke  viii.  16-18,  but  not  by 
Matthew)  appends  to  the  interpretation  of  the 
Parable  of  the  Sower  a  little  group  of  parabolic 
sayings,  which  he  apparently  regards  as  a  warning 
to  the  disciples  to  guard  and  use  the  trust  of  the 
teaching  just  committed  to  them.  The  connection 
is  perhaps  due  to  the  Evangelist :  the  repeated 
formula,  "  And  he  said"  (vers.  21,24),  and  the 
occurrence  of  the  sayings  in  other  connections 
suggest  the  use  of  some  collection  of  detached 
utterances  of  our  Lord.  Compare  with  ver.  21 
Matt.  v.  15,  Lukexi.  33  ;  with  ver.  22,  Matt.  x.  26, 
Luke  xii.  2  ;  with  ver.  24,  Matt.  vii.  2,  Luke  vi.  38  ; 
and  with  ver.  25,  Matt.  xiii.  12,  xxv.  29,  Luke  xix.  26. 

21.  R.V.,  "the   lamp  ...  the   bushel  ...  the 


84   Westminster  New  Testament 

bed  .  .  .  the  stand."     A  picture  of  any  peasant's 
home  and  its  furniture. 

22.  The  "mystery"  of  the  kingdom  of  God  was 
hidden  only  that  in  due  time  it  should  be  dis- 
closed. It  is  now  made  known  to  His  disciples  : 
theirs  the  responsibility  to  place  it  where  its  light 
may  shine. 

23.  A  repetition  to  the  disciples,  with  deeper 
significance,  of  the  summons  to  attentive  hearing 
already  addressed  to  the  multitude  (ver.  9). 

24.  The  heedful  hearer  gains  a  possession  of 
the  truth  which  enables  him  to  give  it  in  turn  to 
others.  And  by  imparting  it  freely  in  a  faithful, 
unselfish  ministry  he  enters  into  still  larger 
possession  of  it.  "There  is  that  scattereth,  and 
increaseth  yet  more." 

25.  Capacity,  gift,  attainment  all  grow  by  use, 
perish  by  neglect. 


TEACHING  IN  PARABLES— {continued). 
IV.  The  Seed  growing  of  itself  (vers.  26-29). 

26  And  he  said,  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  as  if  a  man  should 

27  cast  seed  into  the  ground  ;  and  should  sleep,  and  rise 
night  and  day,  and  the  seed  should  spring  and  grow  up, 

28  he  knoweth  not  how.  For  the  earth  bringeth  forth  fruit 
of  herself;  first  the  blade,  then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full 

29  corn  in  the  ear.  But  when  the  fruit  is  brought  forth, 
immediately  he  putteth  in  the  sickle,  because  the  harvest 
is  come. 

Mark  alone,  who  omits  so  much  of  our  Lord's 
teaching,  has  preserved  this  parable.  It  has 
points  of  similarity  with  the  Parable  of  the  Tares, 


St.  Mark  iv.  30-34  85 

but  the  lesson  is  quite  distinct.  Human  effort  is 
contrasted  with  the  Divine  working.  Man  sows, 
and  reaps  ;  all  between  is  the  business  of  the  seed 
itself  and  the  soil,  which  is  to  say,  of  God.  The 
sower — whether  of  wheat  or  of  the  word  of  the 
kingdom — has  committed  his  seed  to  higher  powers, 
unseen  but  inevitable  in  their  operation,  and  may 
leave  it  with  them,  assured  of  the  harvest  to 
come. 

27.  Not  anxiously  watching  the  seed,  but  going 
about  his  daily  task. 

29.  is  brought  forth.  R.V.,  "  is  ripe  "  ;  R.V. 
marg., "  alloweth."  The  Greek  word  is  of  uncertain 
meaning. 

piltteth  in.  R.V.  marg.,  "  sendeth  forth,"  i.e. 
sends  out  his  reapers. 

Probably  no  stress  is  to  be  laid  on  this  verse  as 
a  prediction  of  the  Second  Advent :  it  rather 
belongs  to  the  picture  of  the  two  stages  of  human 
toil,  separated  by  an  interval  in  which  man  can 
and  need  do  nothing. 


TEACHING  IN  PARABLES— (concluded). 

V.  The  Mustard  Seed  (vers.  30-34  ;  cf.  Matt, 
xiii.  31-35  ;  Luke  xiii.  18-21). 

30  And  he  said,  Whereunto  shall  we  liken  the  kingdom  of 

31  God?  or  with  what  comparison  shall  we  compare  it?  It 
is  like  a  grain  of  mustard  seed,  which,  when  it  is  sown  in 
the  earth,  is  less  than  all  the  seeds  that  be  in  the  earth  : 

32  but  when  it  is  sown,  it  groweth  up,  and  becometh  greater 
than  all  herbs,  and  shooteth  out  great  branches ;  so  that 
the  fowls  of  the  air  may  lodge  under  the  shadow  of  it. 

33  And  with  many  such  parables  spake  he   the  word  unto 


86   Westminster  New  Testament 

34  them,  as  they  were  able  to  hear  it.  But  without  a  parable 
spake  he  not  unto  them  :  and  when  they  were  alone,  he 
expounded  all  things  to  his  disciples. 

The  last  parable  spoke  of  untended,  gradual 
but  certain  growth ;  this  asserts  the  vast  outward 
expansion  of  the  kingdom  from  almost  impercept- 
ible beginnings.  In  Matthew  and  Luke  it  is 
linked  with  a  picture  of  inward  diffusion,  the 
Parable  of  the  Leaven,  which  so  far  as  it  teaches 
of  hidden,  spontaneous  growth  conveys  the  same 
lesson  as  the  "seed  growing  of  itself." 

30.  comparison.  R.V.,  "  in  what  parable  shall 
-we  set  it  forth  ? " 

32.  The  other  accounts  speak  of  its  becoming 
"  a  tree  "  and  of  the  birds  lodging  in  the  branches 
thereof.  Either  version,  with  some  poetical 
exaggeration,  fairly  represents  the  facts  (see 
Hastings'  Bible  Did.,  art.  "Mustard").  The  one 
point  is  the  amazing  development  of  a  tiny  seed. 

33.  as  they  were  able  to  hear  it.  The 
phrase  suggests  that  Jesus  taught  in  parables 
because  that  sort  of  teaching  was  what  the  people 
could  understand.  The  next  verse,  however, 
returns  to  the  point  of  view  of  ver.  12,  and  this  is 
emphasised  by  Matthew,  who  omits  this  phrase, 
and  finds  in  the  teaching  by  parables  a  fulfilment 
of  an  O.T.  Scripture  referring  to  utterances  in 
"  parables  and  dark  sayings "  (Matt.  xiii.  35  ;  cf. 
Ps.  lxxviii.  2).  For  a  possible  explanation  see 
n.  on  ver.  12. 


St.   Mark  iv.  35-41  87 


Mark  iv.  35-v.  43. 

A  GROUP  OF  MIGHTY  WORKS. 

I.  The  Stilling  of  the  Storm  (iv.  35-41  ;  cf. 
Matt.  viii.  18,  23-27  =  Luke  viii.  22-25). 

35  And  the  same  day,  when  the  even  was  come,  he  saith  unto 

36  them,  Let  us  pass  over  unto  the  other  side.  And  when 
they  had  sent  away  the  multitude,  they  took  him  even  as 
he  was  in  the  ship.     And  there  were  also  with  him  other 

37  little  ships.  And  there  arose  a  great  storm  of  wind,  and 
the  waves   beat  into    the   ship,  so  that  it  was  now  full. 

38  And  he  was  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  ship,  asleep  on  a 
pillow  :  and  they  awake  him,  and  say  unto  him,  Master, 

39  carest  thou  not  that  we  perish  ?  And  he  arose,  and  re- 
buked the  wind,  and  said  unto  the  sea,   Peace,  be  still, 

40  And  the  wind  ceased,  and  there  was  a  great  calm.  And 
he  said  unto  them,  Why  are  ye  so  fearful  ?  how  is  it  that 

41  ye  have  no  faith?  And  they  feared  exceedingly,  and  said 
one  to  another,  What  manner  of  man  is  this,  that  even  the 
wind  and  the  sea  obey  him  ? 

After  telling  how  Jesus  taught,  the  Evangelist 
passes  on  to  describe  the  mighty  works  which  He 
did. 

His  narrative  has  already  given  prominence  to 
wonderful  cures,  but  now  he  groups  together  four 
incidents  in  which  the  manifestation  of  the  Divine 
power  of  Christ  far  transcends  anything  yet  re- 
corded of  Him.  In  turn  He  asserts  His  mastery 
over  the  forces  of  nature,  demoniac  possession  of 
the  most  aggravated  kind,  secret  wasting  disease, 
death  itself.  Yet,  with  all  the  wonder  of  it,  each 
story  has  a  naturalness  and  a  sobriety  which  stamp 
it  as  history :  the  total  effect  is  most  impressive  for 


88  Westminster  New  Testament 

the  reader's  estimate  of  the  powers  of  Jesus  and 
of  the  motives  by  which  their  exercise  was  con- 
trolled. 

35.  The  precise  note  of  time  and  the  detail  that, 
without  landing  again  on  the  crowded  shore,  the 
boat  from  which  Jesus  had  taught  leaves  for  the 
eastern  side  of  the  lake  are  peculiar  to  Mark. 

36.  other  little  ships.  R.V.,"  other  boats."  The 
same  word  as  just  used.  Some  eager  listeners 
tried  to  follow,  but  were  perhaps  driven  back  by 
the  storm.     Mark  only. 

37.  Mountain  lakes  are  peculiarly  subject  to 
sudden  and  violent  winds. 

full.      R.V.,  "  was  now  filling." 

38.  a  pillow.  R. V.,  "  the  cushion."  Either  as 
used  by  the  rowers,  or,  more  probably,  as  placed  in 
the  stern  for  the  comfort  of  passengers. 

Master.  Lit.  "Teacher."  Each  Evangelist  has 
here  a  different  Greek  word  as  the  equivalent  of 
the  Aramaic  "  Rabbi." 

The  appeal  is  softened  down  in  Matthew,  "  Save, 
Lord,  we  perish,"  and  in  Luke,  "  Master,  Master, 
we  perish." 

39.  arose.     R.V.,  "awoke." 
rebuked.     See  n.  on  i.  25. 

Peace,  be  Still.  Lit.,  "Become  silent,  be 
muzzled  "  (see  i.  25).  Only  Mark  preserves  this 
word  of  command. 

Ceased.  Lit.,  became  weary  and  sank  to  rest :  a 
beautiful  figure.  Cf.  the  well-known  lines  of  Mrs. 
Hemans  ("  Fear  was  within  the  tossing  bark  ") — 

"And  slumber  settled  on  the  deep, 
And  silence  on  the  blast  ; 
They  sank,  as  flowers  that  fold  to  sleep 
When  sultry  day  is  past." 


St.  Mark  iv.  35-41  89 

40.  R.V.,  "  Why  are  ye  fearful  ?  have  ye  not 
yet  faith  ? "  Still  no  faith,  after  months  of  com- 
panionship with  the  Master  (cf.  viii.  17)  ?  Matthew 
(who  puts  the  rebuke  before  the  miracle),  "  Why 
are  ye  fearful,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  "  ;  Luke, "  WThere 
is  your  faith  ?  " 

The  "  faith  "  has  often  been  interpreted  as  mean- 
ing confidence  in  Jesus :  with  Him  the  disciples 
should  have  known  that  they  were  safe.  Perhaps, 
however,  He  rather  summons  them  to  share  His 
own  absolute  trust  in  God,  the  master-secret  of 
His  life,  keeping  Him  calm  and  undismayed  in 
every  crisis  of  His  fortunes.  In  this  view  the 
interpreting  passage  for  this  and  similar  sayings  is 
xi.  22,  "  Have  faith  in  God."  This  interpretation 
leaves  untouched  every  lesson  of  comfort  and 
strength  from  the  Master's  companionship,  if  we 
are  also  companions  of  His  faith.  Indeed,  since 
He  is  the  Revealer  of  God,  the  two  conceptions 
of  faith  in  God  and  faith  in  Him  are  not  two  but 
one :  to  trust  God  is  to  trust  Him,  faith  in  Him 
is  faith  in  God. 

41.  Not  yet  the  confidence  of  faith,  but  one  fear 
replaced  by  another.  The  disciples,  at  least,  had 
no  manner  of  doubt  that  they  had  witnessed  a 
stupendous  miracle,  which  to  the  sailors  among 
them  would  appeal  with  irresistible  force.  So, 
with  an  awe  which  the  cures  of  the  sick  and  the 
possessed  had  not  awakened,  they  whisper  one  to 
another  as  they  get  to  their  oars  again,  Who 
then  is  this? 


9o   Westminster  New  Testament 


A  GROUP  OF  MIGHTY  WORKS— {continued). 

II.  The  Gerasene  Demoniac  (v.  1-20  ;  cf.  Matt, 
viii.  28-34  =  Luke  viii.  26-39). 

And  they  came  over  unto  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  into  the 

2  country  of  the  Gadarenes.  And  when  he  was  come  out 
of  the  ship,  immediately  there  met  him  out  of  the  tombs  a 

3  man  with  an  unclean  spirit,  who  had  his  dwelling  among 
the  tombs ;  and  no  man   could  bind  him,  no,  not  with 

4  chains :  because  that  he  had  been  often  bound  with 
fetters  and  chains,  and  the  chains  had  been  plucked 
asunder  by  him,  and  the  fetters  broken  in  pieces  :  neither 

5  could  any  man  tame  him.  And  always,  night  and  day, 
he  was  in  the  mountains,  and  in  the  tombs,  crying,  and 

6  cutting  himself  with  stones.     But  when  he  saw  Jesus  afar 

7  off,  he  ran  and  worshipped  him,  and  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  and  said,  What  have  I  to  do  with  thee,  Jesus,  thou 
Son  of  the  most  high  God  ?     I  adjure  thee  by  God,  that 

8  thou  torment  me  not.     For  he  said  unto  him,  Come  out 

9  of  the  man,  thou  unclean  spirit.  And  he  asked  him, 
What  is  thy  name  ?     And  he  answered,  saying,  My  name 

io  is  Legion  :  for  we  are  many.     And  he  besought  him  much 

that  he  would  not  send  them  away  out  of  the   country. 

ii  Now  there   was  there  nigh  unto   the   mountains  a    great 

12  herd  of  swine  feeding.  And  all  the  devils  besought  him, 
saying,   Send  us  into  the  swine,  that  we  may  enter   into 

13  them.  And  forthwith  Jesus  gave  them  leave.  And  the 
unclean  spirits  went  out,  and  entered  into  the  swine  :  and 
the  herd  ran  violently  down  a  steep  place  into  the  sea, 
(they  were  about  two  thousand  ;)  and  were  choked  in  the 

14  sea.  And  they  that  fed  the  swine  fled,  and  told  it  in  the  city, 
and  in  the  country.     And  they  went  out  to  see  what  it 

15  was  that  was  done.  And  they  come  to  Jesus,  and  see 
him  that  was  possessed  with  the  devil,  and  had  the  legion, 
sitting,  and  clothed,  and  in  his  right  mind  :  and  they  were 


St.   Mark  v.  1-20  91 

16  afraid.  And  they  that  saw  it  told  them  how  it  befell  to 
him  that  was  possessed  with  the  devil,  and  also  concern- 

1 7  ing  the  swine.     And  they  began  to  pray  him  to  depart  out 

18  of  their  coasts.  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  ship,  he 
that  had  been  possessed  with  the  devil  prayed  him  that  he 

19  might  be  with  him.  Howbeit  Jesus  suffered  him  not,  but 
saith  unto  him,  Go  home  to  thy  friends,  and  tell  them  how 
great  things  the  Lord  hath  done  for  thee,  and  hath  had 

20  compassion  on  thee.  And  he  departed,  and  began  to 
publish  in  Decapolis  how  great  things  Jesus  had  done  for 
him  :  and  all  men  did  man-el. 

The  miracle  just  recorded  was  new  in  kind  : 
this  is  new  only  in  degree.  The  fierceness  of  the 
possessed  and  the  strange  circumstances  attending 
his  cure  made  an  indelible  impression,  which  is 
preserved  in  this  full  and  vivid  narrative  (greatly 
abbreviated  by  Matthew). 

1.  Gadarenes.  So  in  Matthew.  Here  and  in 
Luke  the  best  authorities  have  w  Gerasenes,"  while 
in  all  three  Gospels  there  is  a  variant  reading, 
"  Gergesenes."  Both  Gadara  and  Gerasa  were 
cities  of  Decapolis  (ver.  20),  but  the  former  was  six, 
the  latter  thirty  miles  from  the  lake.  The  spot  is 
now  generally  identified  with  another  Gerasa,  the 
ruined  Kersa  on  the  east  of  the  lake :  this  may 
(as  Matthew  suggests)  have  been  included  in  the 
territory  of  Gadara. 

2.  tombs.  Niches  hewn  out  of  the  rocks  : 
haunted,  in  popular  belief,  by  evil  spirits. 

6.  Perhaps  a  first  impulse  of  fury,  changed  as  he 
drew  near  to  Jesus  into  sudden  awe. 

7.  Compare  i.  24,  iii.  11.  The  protest  here  is  in 
response  to  the  command  of  Jesus  (ver.  8,  "  For  he 
had  been  saying  unto  him  "). 

9.  The  matter-of-fact  question  would  quiet  for  the 


92    Westminster  New  Testament 

moment  the  man's  frenzy :  if  he  could  give  his  own 
name  he  would  so  far  recover  the  self-identity 
which  he  had  lost.  But  he  answers  in  the  name  of 
the  demons. 

Legion.  The  Roman  regiment  of  some  6000 
men,  the  very  symbol  of  pitiless,  irresistible,  destroy- 
ing force. 

10.  The  man  as  spokesman  of  the  demons  (in 
the  other  accounts  the  demons  themselves)  recog- 
nises that  the  command  must  be  obeyed,  and  makes 
a  strange  request.  Luke  substitutes  for  out  of  the 
country,  "  into  the  abyss,"  the  hell  which  was 
the  proper  abode  of  evil  spirits.  Perhaps  there  is  a 
vague  confusion  in  the  man's  consciousness  of  his 
own  dread  that  he  shall  be  driven  from  his  home  in 
the  mountains  and  tombs,  and  of  the  fear  of  this 
vast  army  of  demons  that  they  may  be  left  homeless. 

11.  Swine.  Unclean  and  forbidden  to  the  Jews, 
but  east  of  the  lake  Gentile  influence  was  strong. 
The  story  gives  no  hint  that  our  Lord  punished  the 
owners  as  breakers  of  the  Law. 

13.  It  is  difficult  to  take  this  literally  and  vain 
to  follow  the  innumerable  discussions  to  which  it 
has  given  rise.  The  observed  fact  was  a  sudden 
stampede  of  the  swine  to  their  destruction,  caused 
perhaps  by  a  final  terrifying  paroxysm  of  the 
possessed  (cf.  ix.  26).  This  might  well  convince 
the  man  that  he  was  free,  and  help  to  restore  him 
to  sanity.  Tradition  would  find  a  grim  satisfaction 
in  imagining  that  the  unclean  spirits  entered  into 
the  unclean  swine,  only  to  find  their  fate  in  the 
"  abyss "  (often  used  of  the  deep  sea)  from  which 
they  had  schemed  to  be  delivered. 

14.  The  sequel  is  very  natural,  and  is  told  with 
vivid  simplicity. 


St.  Mark  v.  1-20  93 

15.  clothed.  Luke  viii.  27,  "  for  a  long  time  he 
had  worn  no  clothes." 

in  his  right  mind.  An  interesting  suggestion  of 
the  connection  between  possession  and  lunacy. 

17.  A  natural  request,  prompted,  as  Luke  tells 
us,  by  "great  fear"  rather  than  by  resentment.  If 
Jesus  had  come  to  the  eastern  side  with  any 
intention  of  preaching  there,  His  purpose  was 
effectually  hindered. 

19.  It  would  not  at  all  help  Jesus  and  His 
disciples  in  their  work  to  have  with  them  this 
restored  demoniac.  n  Legion  could  not  so  quickly 
be  changed  into  an  Apostle  "  (Loisy).  For  his  own 
sake  it  would  be  well  for  him  to  realise  the 
permanence  of  his  cure  in  familiar  scenes  and 
without  the  protecting  presence  of  his  Deliverer. 
But  a  ministry  was  open  to  him  which  was  closed 
to  Jesus.  Long  ago  he  had  a  home  and  friends  : 
let  him  return,  that  they  may  see  the  marvel  of 
his  recovery  and  listen  as  he  tells  what  God  in  His 
mercy  had  done  for  him.  It  is  there,  and  not  in 
more  public  ways,  that  one  so  lately  delivered  from 
the  degrading  power  of  Satan  may  bear  seemly  and 
effective  testimony. 

the  Lord.  I.e.,  Jehovah  (not  Jesus).  Luke  has 
"  God." 

20.  The  man  obeys,  with  a  difference.  His 
commission  was  to  tell  his  friends  ;  he  proceeds  to 
publish  (lit.  herald,  preach)  the  matter  "  throughout 
the  whole  city  "  (Luke),  and  even  through  Decapolis. 
He  was  to  see  in  his  cure  the  power  and  mercy  of 
God,  but  he  thinks  only  of  what  Jesus  had  done  for 
him.  A  difference  of  the  Greek  tense  in  the 
"hath  done"  of  ver.  19  and  the  "had  done"  of 
ver.  20  suggests  that,  bidden  to  lay  stress  on  the 


94 


Westminster  New  Testament 


abiding  change  in  himself  rather  than  on  the  story 
of  what  befell  on  the  hillside,  he  chose  to  tell  and 
re-tell  the  details  of  that  story  till  men  were  agape 
with  wonder.  His  message  was  lacking  in  reserve 
and  in  truth ;  and  in  both  because  it  lacked 
obedience. 

Decapolis.  The  ten-city-land,  originally  a 
league  of  ten  Greek  cities  in  Eastern  Palestine : 
again  at  vii.  31. 

A  GROUP  OF  MIGHTY  WORKS— {continued). 

III.  The  Daughter  of  Jairus  (Part  I.  vers.  21-24  ; 
cf.  Matt.  ix.  18,  19  =  Luke  viii.  40-42). 

21  And  when  Jesus  was  passed  over  again  by  ship  unto  the 
other  side,  much  people  gathered  unto  him  :  and  he  was 

22  nigh  unto  the  sea.  And,  behold,  there  cometh  one  of  the 
rulers  of  the  synagogue,  Jairus  by  name  ;  and  when  he  saw 

23  him,  he  fell  at  his  feet,  and  besought  him  greatly,  saying, 
My  little  daughter  lieth  at  the  point  of  death  :  I  pray  thee, 
come  and  lay  thy  hands  on  her,  that  she  may  be  healed  ; 

24  and  she  shall  live.  And  Jesus  went  with  him  ;  and  much 
people  followed  him,  and  thronged  him. 

The  separation  of  this  story  into  two  parts  by  the 
healing  of  the  woman  on  the  way,  makes  it  at  once 
more  natural  and  more  impressive.  The  summons 
is  urgent,  but  Jesus  can  afford  to  tarry  ;  the  miracle 
is  stupendous,  but  the  narrator,  knowing  of  Whom 
he  wrote,  has  no  undue  sense  of  wonder  which 
would  hurry  him  along  to  the  climax.  This  is  the 
only  miracle  of  raising  from  the  dead  common  to 
the  Synoptics.  Luke  records  the  resurrection  of 
one  already  being  carried  to  the  grave  (vii.  11-17), 
John  of  one  dead  four  days  (xi.  1-44). 


St.  Mark  v.  25-34  95 

21.  Luke  pictures  this  crowd  of  Capernaum 
waiting  to  "  welcome  "  Jesus  on  His  return. 

22.  There  would  be  several  synagogues  in 
Capernaum :  JairilS  was  the  president  of  one  of 
these,  responsible  for  order  and  the  arrangements 
for  services. 

23.  Luke  says  "  an  only  daughter,  abo  it  twelve 
years  of  age  "  :  cf.  ver.  42. 

at  the  point  of  death.  So  Luke, "  lay  a  dying." 
Matthew  has  "  My  daughter  is  even  now  dead/' 
but  this  is  due  to  his  great  curtailment  of  the 
narrative  and  omission  of  the  later  message  to 
Jairus  (ver.  35). 


A  GROUP  OF  MIGHTY  WORKS— {continued). 

IV.  The  Woman  with  the  Issue  (vers.   25-34 ; 
cf.  Matt.  ix.  20-22  =  Luke  viii.  43-48). 

25  And  a  certain  woman,  which  had  an  issue  of  blood  twelve 

26  years,  and  had  suffered  many  things  of  many  physicians, 
and  had  spent  all  that  she  had,  and  was  nothing  bettered, 

27  but   rather   grew  worse,  when   she   had   heard   of  Jesus, 

28  came  in  the  press  behind,  and  touched  his  garment.  For 
she  said,  If  I  may  touch  but  his  clothes,  I  shall  be  whole. 

29  And  straightway  the  fountain  of  her  blood  was  dried  up  ; 
and  she  felt  in  her  body  that  she  was  healed  of  that  plague. 

30  And  Jesus,  immediately  knowing  in  himself  that  virtue 
had  gone  out  of  him,  turned  him  about  in  the  press,  and 

31  said,  Who  touched  my  clothes?  And  his  disciples  said 
unto  him,  Thou  seest  the  multitude  thronging  thee,  and 

32  sayest  thou,  Who   touched  me?     And   he   looked   round 

33  about  to  see  her  that  had  done  this  thing.  But  the 
woman  fearing  and  trembling,  knowing  what  was  done 
in  her,  came  and  fell  down  before  him,  and  told  him  all 


96  Westminster  New  Testament 

34  the  truth.  And  he  said  unto  her,  Daughter,  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole  ;  go  in  peace,  and  be  whole  of 
thy  plague. 

Jairus  was  convinced  that  if  Jesus  would  lay  His 
hands  upon  his  daughter  she  would  live,  and  of 
this  healing  touch  Mark  has  already  given  instances 
(i.  31,  41).  He  has  also  told  (iii.  10)  of  the  crowds 
pressing  upon  Him  in  the  belief  that  to  touch  Him 
was  to  be  cured ;  later  on  we  have  the  distinct 
statement  that  all  who  thus  touched  even  the 
border  of  His  garment  were  made  whole  (vi.  56). 
But  that  was  with  the  knowledge  and  permission 
of  Jesus.  The  great  venture  of  this  shrinking 
woman's  faith  was  made  and  succeeded  before  He 
knew  of  it. 

25.  Her  secret  distress  would  be  increased  by 
dread  of  the  Levitical  law  of  uncleanness. 

26.  An  uncompromising  indictment,  toned  down 
by  Luke  (especially  in  R.V.),  omitted  by  Matthew. 

27.  Matthew  and  Luke,  "the  border  of  His 
garment,"  one  of  the  tassels  (to  which  special 
religious  significance  was  attached,  Matt,  xxiii.  5) 
on  the  four  corners  of  the  upper  garment.  The 
one  on  the  loose  corner  thrown  over  His  shoulder 
would  be  easily  reached  from  behind. 

29.  straightway.  See  i.  10.  plague.  See 
iii.  10. 

30.  R.V.,  "  And  straightway  Jesus,  perceiving  in 
himself  that  the  power  proceeding  from  him  had 
gone  forth,  turned."  He  was  conscious  of  the 
draft  made  by  the  touch  of  faith  upon  His  store 
of  healing  energy. 

32.  looked  round.  See  iii.  5.  The  "her"  is 
from  the  narrator's  standpoint :  Jesus  did  not  know 


St.  Mark  v.  35-43  97 

who  it  was  until  before  His  searching  glance  the 
woman  stood  revealed. 

33.  The  claim  of  that  look  is  stronger  than  her 
shame  and  fear.  Luke  emphasises  still  more 
strongly  the  publicity  and  completeness  of  her 
grateful  confession. 

34.  Daughter.     See  ii.  5. 

thy  faith.  See  ii.  5.  The  mere  touch  a  vain 
superstition  ;  its  efficacy  in  the  faith,  vague  and 
timid,  which  impelled  it.  Other  instances  of  this 
saying  are  found  x.  52 ;  Luke  vii.  50,  xvii.  19, 
xviii.  42. 

go  in  peace.    The  beautiful  Hebrew  "  Farewell." 
be   whole.     In   gracious  response   to  her  con- 
fession, the  cure,  already  complete  at  the  moment 
when  she  touched  Him,  is  now  confirmed. 


A  GROUP  OF  MIGHTY  WORKS— {concluded). 

III.  (cont.y  The  Daughter  of  Jairus  (Part  II.  vers. 
35-43;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  23-26  =  Luke  viii.  49-56). 

35  While  he  yet  spake,  there  came  from  the  ruler  of  the 
synagogue's   house   certain  which  said,   Thy  daughter  is 

36  dead :  why  troublest  thou  the  Master  any  further  ?  As 
soon  as  Jesus  heard  the  word  that  was  spoken,  he  saith 
unto  the  ruler  of  the   synagogue,    Be   not   afraid,   only 

37  believe.     And  he  suffered   no  man   to  follow  him,  save 

38  Peter,  and  James,  and  John  the  brother  of  James.  And 
he  cometh  to  the  house  of  the  ruler  of  the  synagogue,  and 
seeth  the  tumult,  and  them  that  wept  and  wailed  greatly. 

39  And  when  he  was  come  in,  he  saith  unto  them,  Why  make 
ye  this  ado,  and  weep  ?  the  damsel  is  not  dead,  but  sleepeth. 

40  And  they  laughed  him  to  scorn.  But  when  he  had  put 
them  all  out,  he  taketh  the  father  and  the  mother  of  the 

7 


98  Westminster  New  Testament 

damsel,   and  them  that  were  with  him,  and  entereth  in 

41  where  the  damsel  was  lying.  And  he  took  the  damsel  by 
the  hand,  and  said  unto  her,  Talitha  cumi ;  which  is,  being 

42  interpreted,  Damsel,  I  say  unto  thee,  arise.  And  straight- 
way the  damsel  arose,  and  walked  ;  for  she  was  of  the  age 
of  twelve  years.     And  they  were  astonished  with  a  great 

43  astonishment.  And  he  charged  them  straitly  that  no  man 
should  know  it ;  and  commanded  that  something  should 
be  given  her  to  eat. 

35.  That  at  such  a  moment  thought  should  be 
taken  for  the  convenience  of  "the  Master"  is 
suggestive  of  the  reverence  in  which  He  was 
held. 

36.  R.V.,  "But  Jesus,  not  heeding  the  word 
spoken."  The  word  used  means  u  to  hear  casually/' 
and  hence  (1)  to  overhear,  R.V.  marg.,  (2)  to  pay  no 
heed  to,  which  is  the  sense  in  the  only  other  N.T. 
instance  (Matt,  xviii.  17)  and  in  the  Greek  O.T. 
On  the  whole,  this  usage  should  decide  for  R.V. 
Luke  has  simply  "  hearing  it." 

believe.  I.e.,  keep  on  believing  in  face  of  this 
greater  demand  on  faith. 

37.  The  eager  crowd  is  bidden  not  to  follow,  and 
obeys.  He  and  Jairus,  with  the  three  chosen 
companions  of  His  most  momentous  experiences 
(cf.  ix.  2,  xiv.  33),  pass  on  to  the  house  of  death 
alone. 

38.  Burial  followed  speedily  on  death:  already 
the  court  was  given  over  to  the  hired  mourners, 
proportionate  in  number  and  in  the  vehemence  of 
their  lamentations  to  the  social  standing  of  their 
client.  Jesus  halts  for  a  moment  at  the  gate  to 
survey  the  scene  of  tumult. 

39.  not  dead,   but  sleepeth.     This  cannot 


St.  Mark  v.  35-43  99 

fairly  be  interpreted  as  throwing  any  doubt  on 
the  actual  death :  that  is  unmistakably  implied 
in  the  narrative.  The  words  are  spoken  out  of 
the  consciousness  of  Jesus  that  He  was  so  soon  to 
recall  her  to  life  that  her  death  was  indeed  but  as 
a  sleep.  The  euphemistic  description  of  death 
under  the  figure  of  sleep  occurs  in  Greek  and 
Roman  literature :  Jesus  changed  the  figure  into 
reality  (cf.  John  xi.  1 1  ;  Acts  vii.  60 ;  1  Cor.  xv.  20, 
etc.). 

40.  Professional  mourning,  touched  on  a  tender 
point,  changes  to  angry,  scornful  laughter.  Luke 
adds,  what  the  laughter  itself  implies,  "  knowing 
that  she  was  dead."  With  authority  Jesus  ejected 
the  jeering  crowd,  and  with  the  five  entered  the 
room  where  the  child  lay. 

41.  Only  Mark  preserves  the  actual  (Aramaic) 
words  spoken  by  Jesus :  TalUhd  cum  (so  R.V.), 
"Maiden,  arise  \"     Compare  Ephphatha  (vii.  34). 

42.  The  instant  and  complete  return  to  life, 
with  the  bewildered  amazement  of  those  who 
witnessed  it,  are  described  with  graphic  simplicity. 

43.  See  n.  on  i.  34.  He  will  not  be  known  as  One 
who  can  raise  the  dead,  nor  must  the  child  be 
treated  as  one  miraculously  restored  to  life.  The 
matter-of-fact  reminder  that  she  is  hungry  suggests 
that  the  household  is  to  resume  its  accustomed 
ways  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  Matthew  omits 
the  injunction  to  silence,  and  tells  us,  what  we  may 
well  believe  took  place  in  spite  of  it  (cf.  i.  45, 
v.  20),  that  **  the  fame  hereof  went  forth  into  all 
that  land."  Was  it  because  of  this  that  Jesus  left 
Capernaum  (vi.  1)  ? 


ioo  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  vi.  1-6 ;  cf.  Matt.  xiii.  53-58  (Luke  iv.  16-30). 
REJECTION  AT  NAZARETH. 

And  he  went  out   from   thence,  and  came   into   his  own 

2  country ;  and  his  disciples  follow  him.  And  when  the 
sabbath  day  was  come,  he  began  to  teach  in  the  synagogue  : 
and  many  hearing  him  were  astonished,  saying,  From 
whence  hath  this  man  these  things  ?  and  what  wisdom  is 
this  which  is  given  unto  him,  that  even  such  mighty  works 

3  are  wrought  by  his  hands  ?  Is  not  this  the  carpenter,  the 
son  of  Mary,  the  brother  of  James,  and  Joses,  and  of  Juda, 
and  Simon  ?  and  are  not  his  sisters  here  with  us  ?     And 

4  they  were  offended  at  him.  But  Jesus  said  unto  them,  A 
prophet  is  not  without  honour,  but  in  his  own  country,  and 

5  among  his  own  kin,  and  in  his  own  house.  And  he  could 
there  do  no  mighty  work,  save  that  he  laid  his  hands  upon 

6  a  few  sick  folk,  and  healed  them.  And  he  marvelled 
because  of  their  unbelief.  And  he  went  round  about  the 
villages,  teaching. 

Compare  Matt.  xiii.  53-58.  Luke  places  a 
similar  but  more  extended  narrative  at  the  outset 
of  the  Ministry  (iv.  16-30),  and  some  have  supposed 
that  Mark  here  tells  of  a  second  rejection.  But 
the  reference  in  Luke  iv.  23  is  hardly  accounted 
for  by  the  summary  statement  of  vers.  14,  15, 
and  rather  suggests  that  the  special  ministry  to 
Capernaum,  which  Luke  only  introduces  at  ver.  31, 
had  already  continued  for  some  time.  This,  and 
the  essential  identity  of  situation,  make  it  probable 
that  Luke  is  following  another  account  of  the  same 
event,  choosing  this  undated  incident  as  a  significant 
introduction  to  the  story  he  has  to  tell.  Compare 
n.  on  i.  20. 

1.  his  Own  country.     I.e.,  Nazareth  (i.  9,  24). 


St.  Mark  vi.  1-6  101 

2.  In  R.V.  the  final  clause  reads,  "  and  what  mean 
such  mighty  works  wrought  by  his  hands  ?  "  The 
stress  of  this  threefold  protest  of  an  outraged  sense 
of  fitness  lies  on  this  man,  a  fellow-townsman  of 
their  own,  of  no  note  or  social  position.  They 
knew  that  his  family  had  been  troubled  by  reports 
of  his  strange  doings  in  Capernaum,  but  now  his 
return  home  and  his  address  in  the  synagogue 
press  for  some  judgment  on  their  part.  And  the 
worst  of  it  is,  that  though  knowing  him  to  be  a  man 
of  no  account  they  cannot  quite  resist  the  spell  of 
his  wisdom  and  manifest  power.  This  makes  them 
uncomfortable  and  resentful.  They  are  conscious 
of  the  claim  of  Jesus  and  of  some  dawning  impulse 
of  surrender,  yet  escape  both  the  claim  upon  them 
and  the  instinct  to  yield  by  irrelevant  questionings. 

3.  carpenter.  Matthew  (xiii.  55)  seems  to 
hesitate  to  use  the  term  of  Jesus,  and  has  "the 
son  of  the  carpenter."  These  are  the  only  refer- 
ences to  the  trade  of  Jesus.  Early  Christian 
tradition  speaks  of  His  making  "ploughs  and 
yokes."  As  the  Gospels  have  no  mention  of  Joseph 
after  the  boyhood  of  Jesus  (Luke  ii.  41-51),  it  is 
supposed  that  he  was  now  dead.  Of  the  four 
brothers,  James  is  known  to  us  as  afterwards  head 
of  the  Church  in  Jerusalem,  and  both  he  and  Jude 
as  authors  of  Epistles  which  bear  their  names. 

offended.  Lit.  "  caused  to  stumble,"  tripped  up 
by  what  might  have  proved  their  safety  and  de- 
liverance.    See  the  contrast  in  Rom.  ix.  33. 

4.  A  proverbial  saying,  akin  to  our  "  Familiarity 
breeds  contempt."  That  to  which  we  are  accus- 
tomed— the  innumerable  best  things  of  life  which 
lie  close  to  our  hand — may  lose  all  power  of  appeal 
and  pass  us  by  unheeded  and  unknown  (compare 


102  Westminster  New  Testament 

the  historical  warnings  added  by  Luke,  iv.  25-27). 
It  was  and  is  inevitable  that  Jesus  Himself  should 
be  the  supreme  test  of  men's  ability  to  discern 
truth,  beauty,  goodness,  and  of  their  willingness  to 
respond.  Compare  His  comment  on  the  conflict  of 
faith  and  reason  which  raged  round  the  cure  of  the 
man  born  blind  (John  ix.  39-41). 

5.  See  n.  on  ii.  5.  This  bold  assertion  of  the 
impotence  of  Jesus  in  the  absence  of  men's  faith  is 
toned  down  in  Matthew  (xiii.  58). 

6a.  A  very  human  touch  :  comprehension  of  the 
reason  for  their  feeling  towards  Him,  yet  a  pained 
surprise.  On  another  occasion  He  "wondered"  at 
the  unexpected  boldness  of  a  man's  faith  in  Him 
(Matt.  viii.  10  =  Luke  vii.  9  ;  compare  Matt.  xv.  28). 

6b.  A  brief  record  of  a  preaching  tour :  cf.  the 
fuller  notice  at  Matt.  ix.  35. 


Mark  vi.  7-13 ;  cf.  Matt.  ix.  35-xi.  1 ;  Luke  ix.  1-6 
(x.  1-16). 

THE  MISSION  OF  THE  TWELVE. 

7  And  he  calleth  unto  him  the  twelve,  and  began  to  send 
them  forth  by  two  and  two ;  and  gave  them  power  over 

8  unclean  spirits ;   and  commanded   them  that  they  should 
take  nothing  for  their  journey,  save  a  staff  only  ;  no  scrip, 

9  no  bread,  no  money  in   their   purse  :   but   be   shod  with 

10  sandals  ;  and  not  put  on  two  coats.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  In  what  place  soever  ye  enter  into  an  house,  there 

1 1  abide  till  ye  depart  from  that  place.  And  whosoever  shall 
not  receive  you,  nor  hear  you,  when  ye  depart  thence, 
shake  off  the  dust  under  your  feet  for  a  testimony  against 
them.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  It  shall  be  more  tolerable 
for  Sodom  and  Gomorrha  in  the  day  of  judgment,  than  for 


St.   Mark  vi.  7-13  103 

12  that  city.     And   they  went  out,  and   preached  that  men 

13  should   repent.      And   they   cast   out    many   devils,    and 
anointed  with  oil  many  that  were  sick,  and  healed  them. 

Compare  notes  on  i.  16-20,  iii.  13-19.  Mark 
has  just  recorded  the  itinerant  method  of  our 
Lord's  own  ministry.  His  pity  was  stirred  by  the 
greatness  of  men's  need  of  Him  (Matt.  ix.  36-38  : 
the  words  are  placed  by  Luke  in  the  later  context 
of  the  mission  of  the  Seventy,  x.  2).  A  point  has 
been  reached  in  the  training  of  the  Twelve  at 
which  He  can  use  them  as  His  missioners  :  disciples 
became  Apostles,  carrying  His  message  far  and 
wide,  and  gaining  the  while  for  their  future  task 
the  essential  equipment  of  trust  and  self-reliance. 
They  have  seen  the  work  of  the  Master :  they  are 
to  learn  under  what  conditions  of  service  He  can 
work  through  them.  They  are  sent  forth  with  a 
simplicity  of  outfit  which  means  at  once  confidence 
in  their  Sender  and  absorption  in  their  mission. 
Matthew  has  a  much  lengthier  charge  (x.  5-42) ; 
Luke  records  similar  instructions  to  the  Seventy 
(x.  1-16). 

7.  two  and  two.  So  afterwards  Paul  and 
Barnabas,  Paul  and  Silas,  Barnabas  and  Mark. 
"  Perhaps  our  modern  missionaries  lose  more  in 
energy  than  is  gained  in  area  by  neglecting  so 
humane  a  precedent"  (Chadwick). 

8.  scrip.  R. V.,  "wallet."  A  leathern  bag  for 
carrying  food. 

9-  COatS.  Rather,  inner  garments  or  tunics.  To 
wear  two  was  needless  luxury. 

10.  A  lodging,  once  chosen,  must  suffice  :  cf.  the 
fuller  injunction  of  Luke  x.  5-7. 

11.  against  them.  Rather, as R.V., "unto  them." 


104  Westminster  New  Testament 

An  act,  not  of  resentment  nor  even  of  judgment, 
but  of  symbolic  warning  of  fellowship  refused  and 
of  responsibility  disavowed:  cf.  Luke  x.  10,  11. 
The  rest  of  the  verse  (Verily  .  .  .  that  city)  is 
rightly  omitted  by  R.V. :  cf.  Matt.  x.  15 ; 
Luke  x.  14. 

12.  repent.  They  were  "to  preach  the 
gospel"  (Luke  ix.  6)  and  proclaim  "  the  kingdom 
of  God"  (Luke  x.  11):  Mark  sums  up  their 
preaching  in  its  first,  essential  message  of  re- 
pentance. 

13.  oil.  A  familiar  remedy,  here  used  as  the 
symbol  or  medium  of  miraculous  healing.  The 
practice  was  adopted  in  the  Church  (Jas.  v.  14), 
and  in  later  ecclesiastical  usage  was  transferred,  as 
a  j)riestly  act  of  absolution,  to  the  healing  from  sin, 
especially  of  the  dying  (extreme  unction). 


Mark  vi.  14-29 ;  cf.  Matt.  xiv.  1-12 ;  Luke  ix.  7-9 
(iii.  19,  20). 

THE  DEATH  OF  JOHN  THE  BAPTIST. 

14  And  king  Herod  heard  of  him  ;  (for  his  name  was  spread 
abroad  :)  and  he  said,  That  John  the  Baptist  was  risen  from 
the  dead,  and  therefore  mighty  works  do  shew  forth  them- 

15  selves  in  him.     Others  said,  That  it  is  Elias.     And  others 

16  said,  That  it  is  a  prophet,  or  as  one  of  the  prophets.  But 
when  Herod  heard  thereof,  he  said,  It  is  John,  whom  I 

17  beheaded:  he  is  risen  from  the  dead.  For  Herod  himself  had 
sent  forth  and  laid  hold  upon  John,  and  bound  him  in  prison 
for  Herodias'  sake,  his  brother  Philip's  wife  :  for  he  had 

18  married  her.    For  John  had  said  unto  Herod,  It  is  not  lawful 

19  for  thee  to  have  thy  brother's  wife.  Therefore  Herodias  had 
a  quarrel  against  him,  and  would  have  killed  him  ;  but  she 


St.  Mark  vi.  14-29  105 

20  could  not :  for  Herod  feared  John,  knowing  that  he  was  a 
just  man  and  an  holy,  and  observed  him ;  and  when  he 
heard  him,  he  did  many  things,  and    heard   him  gladly. 

21  And  when  a  convenient  day  was  come,  that  Herod  on  his 
birthday  made  a  supper  to  his  lords,  high  captains,  and 

22  chief  estates  of  Galilee ;  and  when  the  daughter  of  the 
said  Herodias  came  in,  and  danced,  and  pleased  Herod  and 
them  that  sat  with  him,  the  king  said  unto  the  damsel, 
Ask  of  me  whatsoever  thou  wilt,  and  I  will  give  it  thee. 

23  And  he  sware  unto  her,  Whatsoever  thou  shalt  ask  of 
me,  I  will   give   it   thee,    unto  the  half  of  my  kingdom. 

24  And  she  went  forth,  and  said  unto  her  mother,  What 
shall  I  ask  ?     And  she  said,  The  head  of  John  the  Baptist. 

25  And  she  came  in  straightway  with  haste  unto  the  king,  and 
asked,  saying,  I  will  that  thou  give  me  by  and  by  in  a  charger 

26  the  head  of  John  the  Baptist.  And  the  king  was  exceeding 
sorry  ;  yet  for  his  oaths'  sake,  and  for  their  sakes  which  sat 

27  with  him,  he  would  not  reject  her.  And  immediately  the 
king  sent  an  executioner,  and  commanded  his  head  to  be 

28  brought  :  and  he  went  and  beheaded  him  in  the  prison,  and 
brought  his  head  in  a  charger,  and  gave  it  to  the  damsel : 

29  and  the  damsel  gave  it  to  her  mother.  And  when  his 
disciples  heard  of  it,  they  came  and  took  up  his  corpse, 
and  laid  it  in  a  tomb. 

It  is  evident  that  the  Twelve  ascribed  all  their 
success  to  Him  who  had  sent  them  forth.  Thus 
the  fame  of  Jesus  became  more  widely  spread  : 
wonder  led  to  various  surmise  that  here,  surely, 
was  something  more  than  human.  John  the 
Baptist,  the  prophet  snatched  away  from  the  nation 
by  murder,  risen  again  with  larger  powers !  Or 
even  Elijah,  promised  herald  of  Messiah !  Or 
at  least  one  in  whom  the  long  silent  voice  of  the 
prophets  of  Israel  is  heard  once  more,  heralding  a 
new  era  of  national  greatness !     So  persistent  are 


106  Westminster  New  Testament 

the  rumours,  that  they  penetrate  to  the  court  of 
Herod  at  Tiberias,  where  they  would  receive  little 
heed  were  it  not  that  the  terrors  of  a  guilty  con- 
science invest  one  of  them  with  dread  significance. 
"John,  whom  I  beheaded,  he  is  risen."  At  this 
point  Mark  inserts,  in  explanation  of  Herod's  fears, 
the  episode  of  the  murder  of  John  (cf.  n.  on  i.  14). 

14.  king.  A  courtesy  title.  Herod  Antipas  was 
Tetrarch  of  Galilee  and  Peraea. 

mighty  works.  R.V.,  "therefore  do  these 
powers  work  in  him." 

15.  The  belief  in  the  coming  of  Elijah  as  pre- 
cursor of  Messiah,  founded  on  Mai.  iv.  5,  is  referred 
to  in  ix.  12,  where  Jesus  declares  the  prophecy 
fulfilled  in  John  the  Baptist  as  forerunner  of 
Himself. 

or  as.     R.V.,  "  even  as." 

16.  The  one  popular  opinion  concerning  Jesus 
which  instantly  finds  an  echo  in  the  guilty  soul  of 
Herod  :  cf.  viii.  28. 

17.  Josephus  {Antiq.  18.  5)  tells  how  Herod 
married  Herodias  in  his  brother's  lifetime, 
divorcing  his  own  wife,  daughter  of  Aretas,  king 
of  Arabia.  The  prison  was  the  fortress  attached 
to  the  palace  of  Machaerus,  near  the  Dead  Sea. 

19-  had  a  quarrel.  R.V.,  "set  herself  against 
him."  The  word  is  of  doubtful  meaning,  but  seems 
to  imply  the  unremitting,  vengeful  hatred  of  a 
resentful  woman. 

20.  Herod's  conscience  was  not  so  seared  as  not 
to  recognise  the  justice  of  John's  rebuke  and  the 
moral  dignity  of  the  man  who  dared  to  utter  it 
in  disregard  of  consequence. 

observed  him.  R.V.,  "  kept  him  safe,"  i.e.  from 
the  vengeance  of   Herodias.     Cf.  the  attitude    of 


St.   Mark  vi.  14-29  107 

Ahab  and  of  his  wife  Jezebel  towards  Elijah. 
Otherwise  in  Matthew  (xiv.  5). 

when  he  heard.  On  his  visits  to  Machaerus  he 
would  send  for  the  prisoner  (as  Felix  afterwards 
sent  for  Paul,  Acts  xxiv.  26),  hearing  him  gladly, 
and  (according  to  A.V.)  even  doing  many  things  to 
which  John  prompted  him. 

did  many  things.  R.V.  (following  another 
reading),  "was  much  perplexed."  The  play  of 
conflicting  impulses  and  the  weakness  which  finally 
entrapped  Herod  into  a  crime  against  which  his 
better  nature  revolted  are  most  true  to  life  and  im- 
pressive in  their  warning. 

21.  a  convenient  day.  I.e.,  for  the  execution 
of  Herodias'  well-laid  plans.  The  excitement  of 
the  banquet,  the  flattering  of  Herod's  pride  by 
the  rare  entertainment  provided  for  his  guests — a 
princess  degrading  herself  to  the  role  of  a  hired 
dancer — had  all  been  carefully  calculated. 

chief  estates.  R.V.,  "chief  men."  Cf.  the 
English  three  estates  of  lords  spiritual,  lords  tem- 
poral, and  commons. 

22.  the   said    Herodias.      R.V.,   "Herodias 

herself."  A  shameful  emphasis  :  her  own  daughter 
sacrificed  to  her  lust  for  vengeance  on  the  man 
who  had  rebuked  her  sin. 

23.  Brave  words  in  the  mouth  of  a  mere  vassal 
of  Rome  !     Cf.  Esth.  v.  3,  6,  vii.  2. 

25.  by  and  by.  I.e.,  as  R.V.,  "forthwith."  The 
daughter  (Salome,  according  to  Josephus)  shows  her- 
self a  willing  and  eager  accomplice  of  her  mother's 
design.  The  scene  of  the  banquet  is  apparently  not 
Tiberias  but  the  palace  of  Machaerus. 

charger.     O.E.  for  a  large  dish. 

29.  Perhaps  by  invitation  of  the  remorse-stricken 


108  Westminster  New  Testament 

Herod.  Matthew  (xiv.  12)  adds  that  John's 
disciples  told  Jesus,  and  that  the  news  led  to  His 
withdrawal  into  a  desert  place  :  cf.  Mark's  reason 
for  this  retirement  (vers.  30,  31). 


Mark  vi.  30-44 ;  cf.  Matt.  xiv.  13-21  =  Luke  ix.  10-17 
(John  vi.  1-13). 

THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FIVE  THOUSAND. 

30  And  the  apostles  gathered  themselves  together  unto 
Jesus,   and    told    him    all   things,    both   what  they  had 

31  done,  and  what  they  had  taught.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Come  ye  yourselves  apart  into  a  desert  place,  and  rest  a 
while :  for  there  were  many  coming  and  going,  and  they 

32  had  no  leisure  so  much  as  to  eat.     And  they  departed  into 

33  a  desert  place  by  ship  privately.  And  the  people  saw 
them  departing,  and  many  knew  him,  and  ran  afoot 
thither  out  of  all  cities,  and  outwent  them,  and  came  to- 

34  gether  unto  him.  And  Jesus,  when  he  came  out,  saw 
much  people,  and  was  moved  with  compassion  toward 
them,  because  they  were  as  sheep  not  having  a  shepherd  : 

35  and  he  began  to  teach  them  many  things.  And  when  the 
day  was  now  far  spent,  his  disciples  came  unto  him,  and 
said,   This  is  a  desert  place,   and  now  the  time  is   far 

36  passed :  send  them  away,  that  they  may  go  into  the 
country  round  about,  and  into  the  villages,  and  buy  them- 

37  selves  bread  :  for  they  have  nothing  to  eat.  He  answered 
and  said  unto  them,  Give  ye  them  to  eat.  And  they  say 
unto  him,  Shall  we  go  and  buy  two  hundred  pennyworth 

38  of  bread,  and  give  them  to  eat?  He  saith  unto  them, 
How  many  loaves  have  ye  ?  go  and  see.     And  when  they 

39  knew,  they  say,  Five,  and  two  fishes.  And  he  commanded 
them  to  make  all  sit  down  by  companies  upon  the  green  grass. 

40  And  they  sat  down  in  ranks,  by  hundreds,  and  by  fifties. 

41  And  when  he  had  taken  the  five  loaves  and  the  two  fishes, 


St.  Mark  vi.  30-44  109 

he  looked  up  to  heaven,  and  blessed,  and  brake  the  loaves, 
and  gave  them  to  his  disciples  to  set  before  them  ;  and  the 

42  two  fishes  divided  he  among  them  all.     And  they  did  all 

43  eat,  and  were  filled.     And  they  took  up  twelve  baskets  full 

44  of  the  fragments,  and  of  the  fishes.     And  they  that  did  eat 
of  the  loaves  were  about  five  thousand  men. 


This  incident  from  the  Synoptic  narrative  is 
repeated,  with  some  variations,  by  St.  John,  con- 
trary to  his  wont  and  for  the  sake  of  the  appended 
discourse  on  the  Bread  of  Life.  Matthew  and 
Luke  either  compress  Mark's  account  or,  less  pro- 
bably, follow  an  independent  source :  the  features 
peculiar  to  Mark  are  indicated  below.  There  can 
be  no  doubt  that  he  regards  the  occurrence  as 
miraculous  (vers.  43,  44),  though,  with  a  fine  reserve, 
he  does  not  dwell  upon  the  miracle  or  the  method 
of  it.  The  beautiful  and  very  human  story  bears 
the  impress  of  truth  in  what  it  has  to  tell  of  the 
compassion  and  power  of  Jesus. 

30.  apostles.  A  name  only  here  given  by  Mark 
to  the  disciples :  it  is  now  as  messengers  or  envoys  of 
Jesus  that  they  return  to  Him.  To  report  details 
of  service  to  their  Lord  would  deepen  sense  of 
responsibility  and  of  dependence :  it  would  also 
gain  from  Him  an  interpretation  of  what  they 
had  tried  to  do  for  Him,  in  its  successes  and  its 
failures  (cf.  Luke  x.  17-20). 

31.  The  invitation  suggests  the  increasing  care 
of  Jesus  for  the  training  of  His  disciples,  and  the 
necessity,  for  effective  service,  of  intervals  of  quiet 
fellowship  with  Him  (see  n.  on  iii.  14).  Mark 
only. 

33.  An  ever  growing  crowd  hastened  on  foot 
round  the  north  end  of  the  lake,  outstripped  the 


no  Westminster  New  Testament 

heavily   laden   boat,    and    received   Jesus   as    He 
landed  on  the  eastern  shore. 

34.  Hopes  of  retirement  and  rest  baffled,  yet  no 
word  of  reproach ;  only  a  Divine  compassion  for 
the  crowd,  following  Him  by  a  vague  instinct,  not 
knowing  what  they  want,  but  only  sure  in  some 
unreasoning  way  that  Jesus  could  satisfy  their 
need.  It  is  noteworthy  that  in  response  to  their 
appeal  Matthew  speaks  only  of  healing  their  sick, 
Luke  of  both  teaching  and  healing,  while  Mark 
describes  a  day  wholly  devoted  to  teaching.  Jesus 
gladly  used  the  opportunity  thus  thrust  upon  Him 
to  meet  their  most  real  want,  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

35.  Mark's  gift  of  vivid  narrative  is  specially 
noticeable  in  what  follows.  Comment  is  hardly 
needed. 

37.  Two  hundred  silver  denarii,  roughly  some 
£10.  Hospitality  to  such  an  extent  was  quite 
beyond  the  common  purse.  Mark  and  John 
only. 

38.  A  responsibility  is  not  to  be  evaded  for 
lack  of  means,  but  faced  with  such  means  as  we 
have. 

39.  A  picture  drawn  from  life:  the  orderly 
grouping  of  the  people  for  convenient  distribu- 
tion of  the  food  left  an  impression  of  rectangular 
garden  beds  (the  word  rendered  "  ranks  "),  perhaps 
coloured  by  the  bright  Eastern  garments,  set  on 
the  green  slope  of  the  hill.  The  details  are 
peculiar  to  Mark:  the  "green  grass"  suggests 
the  springtime,  in  accordance  with  John  vi.  4. 

41.  The  language  is  so  closely  similar  to  that 
of  xiv.  22  that  some  connection  between  this 
meal  and  the  Last  Supper  can  hardly  be   absent 


St.  Mark  vi.  45-52  m 

from  the  writer's  mind.  Though  there  is  no  word 
of  the  Johannine  discourse  on  Jesus  as  the  Bread 
of  Life,  the  same  truth  underlies  the  whole  story. 

43.  No  disfiguring  fragments  must  mar  the 
scene  of  such  a  meal.  From  motives  of  orderli- 
ness and  of  thrift  (John),  each  disciple  goes  round 
with  the  basket  he  usually  carried ;  and  when  all 
the  pieces  were  gathered  up,  every  basket  was 
full,  although — the  wonder  of  it ! — five  thousand 
guests  had  been  satisfied  with  food. 


Mark  vi.  45-52 ;  cf.  Matt.  xiv.  22-33  (John  vi.  14-21). 
WALKING  ON  THE  SEA. 

45  And  straightway  he  constrained  his  disciples  to  get  into 
the  ship,  and  to  go  to  the  other  side  before  unto  Bethsaida, 

46  while  he  sent  away  the  people.     And  when  he  had  sent 

47  them  away,  he  departed  into  a  mountain  to  pray.  And 
when  even  was  come,  the  ship  was  in  the  midst  of  the  sea, 

48  and  he  alone  on  the  land.  And  he  saw  them  toiling 
in  rowing  ;  for  the  wind  was  contrary  unto  them  :  and 
about  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night  he  cometh  unto  them, 
walking  upon  the  sea,  and  would  have  passed  by  them. 

49  But  when  they  saw  him  walking  upon  the  sea,  they  sup- 

50  posed  it  had  been  a  spirit,  and  cried  out  :  for  they  all  saw 
him,  and  were  troubled.  And  immediately  he  talked 
with  them,  and  saith  unto  them,  Be  of  good  cheer :  it  is 

51  I ;  be  not  afraid.  And  he  went  up  unto  them  into  the 
ship  ;  and  the  wind  ceased  :  and  they  were  sore  amazed  in 

52  themselves  beyond  measure,  and  wondered.  For  they  con- 
sidered not  the  miracle  of  the  loaves  :  for  their  heart  was 
hardened. 

Another  instance  of  the  Master's   care  for  His 
disciples,   as   well    as    of   His   masteiy   over   the 


H2  Westminster  New  Testament 

elements ;  cf.  iv.  35-41.  This  sequel  to  the 
miracle  of  the  loaves  is  given  also  by  John,  and 
by  Matthew  with  the  addition  of  Peter's  attempt 
to  go  to  Jesus  on  the  waters. 

45.  A  note  of  urgency,  possibly  to  be  explained 
by  John  vi.  15,  but  more  safely,  perhaps,  by 
the  imperative  need  that  the  lingering  crowd 
should  find  shelter  before  nightfall.  See  n.  on 
i.  14,  15. 

to  the  other  side  .  .  .  unto  Bethsaida.  The 
mention  of  the  city  (Mark  only)  creates  a  difficulty. 
For  they  were  already  near  the  only  Bethsaida 
(Luke  ix.  10)  for  which  there  is  certain  evidence, 
Bethsaida-Julias,  in  Gaulonitis,  at  the  north-east 
angle  of  the  lake ;  and  this  is  the  place  intended 
in  the  only  other  reference  to  Bethsaida  in  Mark 
(viii.  22).  Possibly,  therefore,  they  were  to  cross 
"to  the  other  side"  of  the  little  bay  which 
separated  the  desert  place  of  the  meal  from  the 
city  itself,  and  there  wait  till  Jesus  rejoined  them, 
a  purpose  frustrated  by  the  contrary  wind  which 
drove  them  into  the  middle  of  the  lake.  This, 
however,  is  not  very  clearly  indicated  in  the 
narrative  itself.  The  widely  accepted  conjecture 
of  another  Bethsaida,  west  of  the  lake,  has  some 
amount  of  support  in  the  other  N.T.  references. 
Bethsaida-Julias  was  not,  properly  speaking,  in 
Galilee  ;  yet  "  Philip  was  of  Bethsaida  of  Galilee  " 
(John  xii.  21),  "the  city  of  Andrew  and  Peter" 
(John  i.  44) ;  and  Jesus  links  Bethsaida  in  the 
condemnation  pronounced  on  Capernaum  and 
Chorazin,  cities  of  Galilee  west  of  the  lake.  The 
point  cannot  be  decided. 

while  he  sent.  R.V.,  "he  himself."  The 
pronoun  is  emphatic:    at  no  other  bidding  could 


St.  Mark  vi.  45-52  u3 

the  crowd  be  induced  to  leave  their  teacher  and 
benefactor. 

46.  See  n.  on  i.  35. 

48.  No  actual  peril  as  at  iv.  37,  yet  they  were 
distressed  in  rowing  and  the  Master  was  not 
with  them.  Through  the  intervening  miles  of 
darkness  He  saw,  and  came. 

fourth  watch.     3-6  a.m. 

would  have  passed  by  them.    Mark  only; 

the  impression  of  an  eye-witness. 

49.  They  might  have  known  Jesus  well  enough 
by  this  time  to  expect  His  help  in  spite  of  cir- 
cumstance, and  so  be  ready  for  the  recognition 
and  appeal  for  which  He  waited ;  but  their  re- 
sponse to  His  coming  is  a  shriek  of  superstitious 
fear. 

spirit.     R.V.,  "apparition." 

50.  On  the  former  occasion  (iv.  40)  the  disciples 
were  rebuked  for  their  faithless  alarm ;  now, 
though  they  have  less  excuse,  their  cry  of  dread 
elicits  words  of  gracious  reassurance,  "  Courage ! 
It  is  I,  your  Master.  Cease  your  fears."  It  is 
left  for  the  Evangelist  to  make  the  appropriate 
comment  (ver.  52). 

52.  The  meaning  is  "they  had  not  learnt  the 
lesson  taught  them  by  the  loaves."  This  amazing 
dulness  seems  to  have  impressed  itself  upon  after- 
reflection  ;  cf.  viii.  1 7-2 1 . 

for.     R.V.,  "but." 

hardened.    See  n.  on  iii.  5. 


n4  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  vi.  53-56 ;  cf.  Matt.  xiv.  34-36. 
CURES  IN  GENNESARET. 

53  And  when  they  had  passed  over,  they  came  into  the  land 

54  of  Gennesaret,  and  drew  to  the  shore.  And  when  they 
were  come   out  of  the  ship,  straightway  they  knew  him, 

55  and  ran  through  that  whole  region  round  about,  and 
began  to  carry  about  in  beds  those  that  were  sick,  where 

56  they  heard  he  was.  And  whithersoever  he  entered,  into 
villages,  or  cities,  or  country,  they  laid  the  sick  in  the 
streets,  and  besought  him  that  they  might  touch  if  it  were 
but  the  border  of  his  garment :  and  as  many  as  touched 
him  were  made  whole. 

The  old  scenes  of  enthusiastic  belief  in  the 
powers  of  this  wonderful  healer,  repeated  now  on 
new  ground  (cf.  i.  32-34,  45,  iii.  7-12). 

53.  Gennesaret.  A  seaboard  plain,  south  of 
Capernaum,  some  three  miles  long  by  one  broad, 
noted  for  its  fertility;  cf.  Luke  v.  1. 

56.  See  notes  on  v.  25-34. 


Mark  vii.  1-23 ;  cf.  Matt.  xv.  1-20. 

EATING  WITH  UNWASHEN  HANDS. 

Then  came  together  unto  him  the  Pharisees,  and  certain 
of  the  scribes,  which  came  from  Jerusalem.  And  when 
they  saw  some  of  his  disciples  eat  bread  with  defiled,  that 
is  to  say,  with  unwashen,  hands,  they  found  fault.  For 
the  Pharisees,  and  all  the  Jews,  except  they  wash  their 
hands  oft,  eat  not,  holding  the  tradition  of  the  elders. 
And  when  they  come  from  the  market,  except  they  wash, 
they  eat  not.  And  many  other  things  there  be,  which 
they  have  received  to  hold,  as  the  washing  of  cups,  and 


St.   Mark  vii.  1-23  115 

5  pots,  brasen  vessels,  and  of  tables.  Then  the  Pharisees 
and  scribes  asked  him,  Why  walk  not  thy  disciples  accord- 
ing to  the  tradition   of  the  elders,   but  eat  bread  with 

6  unwashen  hands?  He  answered  and  said  unto  them, 
Well  hath  Esaias  prophesied  of  you  hypocrites,  as  it  is 
written,   This  people   honour eth   me  with   their  lips,  but 

7  their  heart  is  far  from  me.  Howbeit  in  vain  do  they  worship 
me,    teaching  for    doctrines    the  commandments   of  men. 

8  For  laying  aside  the  commandment  of  God,  ye  hold  the 
tradition  of  men,  as   the  washing  of  pots  and  cups  :  and 

9  many  other  such  like  things  ye  do.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
Full  well  ye  reject  the  commandment  of  God,  that  ye  may 

10  keep  your  own  tradition.  For  Moses  said,  Honour  thy  father 
and  thy  mother;  and,  Whoso  curseth  father  or  mother,  let 

1 1  him  die  the  death :  but  ye  say,  If  a  man  shall  say  to  his 
father  or  mother,  It  is  Corban,  that  is  to  say,  a  gift,  by 
whatsoever  thou  mightest  be  profited  by  me ;  he  shall  be 

12  free.     And  ye  suffer  him  no  more  to  do  ought  for  his  father 

13  or  his  mother ;  making  the  word  of  God  of  none  effect 
through  your   tradition,    which  ye   have   delivered :    and 

14  many  such  like  things  do  ye.  And  when  he  had  called  all 
the  people  unto  him,  he  said   unto  them,    Hearken  unto 

15  me  every  one  of  you,  and  understand  :  there  is  nothing 
from  without  a  man,  that  entering  into  him  can  defile  him  : 
but  the  things  which  come  out  of  him,  those  are  they  that 

16  defile  the   man.     If  any  man  have  ears  to  hear,  let  him 

17  hear.  And  when  he  was  entered  into  the  house  from  the 
people,  his  disciples   asked  him   concerning  the  parable. 

18  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Are  ye  so  without  understanding 
also?  Do  ye  not  perceive,  that  whatsoever  thing  from 
without   entereth    into    the    man,    it   cannot   defile   him ; 

19  because  it  entereth  not  into  his  heart,  but  into  the  belly, 

20  and  goeth  out  into  the  draught,  purging  all  meats  ?  And 
he  said,  That  which  cometh  out  of  the  man,  that  defileth 

21  the  man.  For  from  within,  out  of  the  heart  of  men,  pro- 
ceed    evil     thoughts,    adulteries,    fornications,    murders, 


n6  Westminster  New  Testament 

22  thefts,    covetousness,   wickedness,    deceit,   lasciviousness, 

23  an  evil  eye,  blasphemy,  pride,  foolishness :  all  these  evil 
things  come  from  within,  and  defile  the  man. 

Mark  has  already  recorded  incidents  in  which 
the  doings  of  Jesus  and  His  disciples  offended 
against  the  traditions  of  fasting  and  Sabbath  ob- 
servance. Now  suspicion  has  deepened,  informa- 
tion has  been  laid  against  Hirn  in  Jerusalem,  the 
authorities  there  have  sent  some  of  their  number 
to  investigate,  with  the  result  that  they  formally 
charge  the  disciples  with  habitual  disregard  of 
obligations  of  ceremonial  purity,  imposed  upon 
every  Jew  with  the  binding  force  of  law.  Jesus 
takes  up  the  challenge,  and  after  retort  upon  the 
hypocrisy  of  His  accusers  defines  His  own  position 
not  only  to  tradition  but  to  the  Law  itself,  in  a 
revolutionary  pronouncement  of  vital  importance. 

2.  defiled.  Lit.  "common,"  the  antithesis  to 
"  holy,"  which  in  its  sense  of  separate  was  the  very 
mark  of  the  Jew  as  distinguished  from  the  Gentile. 
Ceremonial  ablutions,  at  first  the  symbol,  had 
become  the  sole  reality,  prescribed  and  insisted 
upon  with  infinite  detail  of  ritual,  and  without 
thought  or  care  for  the  thing  symbolised  so  long 
as  the  outward  observance  was  scrupulously  kept. 

they  found  fault.  These  words  should  be 
omitted  :  the  sentence  is  interrupted  by  the  ex- 
planation of  vers.  3  and  4,  and  resumed  in  ver.  5. 

3.  Mark's  explanation  for  his  Roman  readers. 
oft.     R.V.,    "  diligently."     The   word    used    is 

obscure,  but  probably  means  "with  the  closed  fist," 
rubbed  vigorously  into  the  palm  of  the  other  hand, 
a  bit  of  the  prescribed  ritual. 

the   tradition   of   the   elders.     Rabbinical 


St.  Mark  vii.  1-23  117 

interpretation  and  expansion  of  the  Law  handed 
down  orally  from  generation  to  generation,  and 
invested  with  all  the  sacredness  of  Scripture  itself. 

4.  wash  themselves  (R.V.).  Lit.  "baptize 
themselves/'  which  the  American  R.V.  renders 
"bathe  themselves/'  referring  to  Luke  xi.  38, 
where  it  has  a  similar  rendering  of  the  same  word. 
This  is  probably  correct :  the  extravagant  require- 
ment of  immersion  of  the  whole  body  in  water  to 
remove  the  ceremonial  impurities  contracted  in  the 
course  of  the  day's  business  affords  a  climax,  which 
the  alternative  reading  "  sprinkle  themselves " 
(R.V.  marg.)  quite  misses. 

washing.     Lit.  «  baptizings." 

tables.  An  incorrect  translation  (suggested  by 
the  awkwardness  of  immersing  a  sofa)  of  a  word 
meaning  the  "  couches  "  on  which  they  sat  to  meat. 
The  best  authorities  for  the  text  omit  (so  R.V.). 

5.  walk.  No  isolated  act,  but  the  habitual 
conduct  of  the  disciples'  lives  is  called  in  question. 
Can  it  be  that  they,  under  His  teaching,  deliber- 
ately set  aside  the  whole  "  tradition "  as  having 
no  claim,  legal,  moral,  or  religious,  upon  their  obedi- 
ence ?  For  that  means  open  declaration  of  war 
upon  the  Judaism  of  their  time  and  its  teachers. 

6.  Jesus  flames  out  in  sudden  wrath  against  the 
accusers.  Hypocrites !  clinging  to  meaningless 
externals  under  the  mask  of  religious  earnestness  : 
sense  of  moral  realities  so  completely  lost  that 
the  letter  of  their  tradition  meant  everything  to 
them,  and  God  nothing.  How  admirably  does  the 
description  of  his  people  by  Isaiah  (xxix.  13)  fit 
the  present  facts ! 

7.  R.V.,  "But  in  vain  .  .  .  teaching  as  their 
doctrines  the  precepts  of  men."     A  slight  adaptation 


u8  Westminster  New  Testament 

of  the  LXX,  "teaching  precepts  and  doctrines  of 
men."  Perhaps  Jesus  rather  quoted  the  Hebrew, 
which,  lacking  the  clause,  "But  in  vain  do  they 
worship  me/'  runs,  "And  their  fear  of  me  is  a 
commandment  of  men  which  hath  been  taught 
them." 

8.  R.V.,  "Ye  leave  the  commandment  of  God, 
and  hold  fast  the  tradition  of  men,"  omitting 
the  rest  of  the  verse.  It  is  not  a  question  of 
under  what  forms  the  Law  shall  be  kept,  but  a 
choice  between  two  opposites. 

9.  The  statement  of  ver.  8  is  repeated  in  view 
of  the  illustration  to  follow,  and  with  touch  of 
irony.     "  A  fine  thing  to  reject,"  etc. 

10.  curseth.  R.  V.,  "  speaketh  evil  of."  At  Ex. 
xxi.  17  R.V.  "curseth,"  marg.  "revileth."  The 
lighter  sense  of  the  word  is  more  probable  ;  even 
evil  speaking  of  parents  forbidden  on  pain  of  death. 
How  does  "tradition"  safeguard  this  sacred  duty 
of  filial  piety  ? 

11.  Corban.  R.  V.,  "  Given  to  God."  The  moral 
duty  of  providing  for  parents  is  recognised,  yet 
callously  set  aside  under  pretext  of  religious  obliga- 
tion. Once  let  the  word  Corban  be  pronounced 
over  the  money  which  would  keep  them  from 
want — it  has  become  dedicated  to  Temple-service, 
and  may  not  be  diverted. 

ye  no  longer  suffer  him  to  do  aught  for 
his  father  or  mother,  or,  as  Matthew  has  it, 
with  irony,  "he  shall  not  honour  his  father." 
Perhaps  the  gift  to  the  Temple  was  not  actually 
offered,  being  evaded  by  some  such  casuistry  of 
oaths  as  is  described  in  Matt,  xxiii.  16-22.  But 
what  Jesus  condemns  is  the  religious  sanction  given 
to  the  betrayal,  on  whatever  pretext,   of  a  moral 


St.  Mark  vii.  1-23  n9 

trust :  to  allow  "  sacrifice  "  to  usurp  the  place  of  filial 
love  was  to  "make  void  the  word  of  God  "  (cf.  also 
Matt.  v.  23,  24). 

14.  The  logic  of  our  Lord's  protest  for  truth  and 
reality  carried  Him  on  to  a  yet  bolder  utterance. 
He  had  just  denounced  the  immoral  and  godless 
externalism  of  tradition,  as  on  other  occasions  He 
appealed  from  the  letter  of  a  command  to  its 
spirit ;  now,  before  all  the  people,  bidding  them 
give  full  heed  to  the  significance  of  his  words,  He 
abrogates  part  of  the  Law  itself  by  declaring  the 
Levitical  distinctions  of  clean  and  unclean,  touching 
Jewish  life  at  every  point,  to  be  without  moral  or 
religious  meaning.  No  wonder  that  (according  to 
Matthew)  His  disciples  warn  Him  of  the  effect  pro- 
duced by  His  words, "  Knowest  thou  that  the  Phari- 
sees were  offended,  when  they  heard  this  saying  ?  " 

16.  R.V.  omits. 

17.  The  difficulty  of  the  "parable"  perhaps  lay 
in  its  revolutionary  tendency  if  literally  meant. 

18.  Moral  defilement  attaches  to  the  moral 
nature,  and  cannot  be  communicated  by  food  that 
merely  passes  through  the  body. 

19.  purging  all  meats.  I.e.,  the  physical 
process  just  described  makes  all  meats  clean. 
This  is  the  translation  of  a  text  in  which  the 
participle  is  neuter  ;  in  the  true  text  it  is  masculine, 
and  refers  not  to  the  process  but  to  the  speaker. 
The  clause  is  an  editorial  note  calling  the  reader's 
attention  to  the  practical  effect  of  the  momentous 
saying  just  reported :  w  This  he  said,  making  all 
meats  clean "  (R.V.).  Jesus  still  continued  His 
ministry  within  the  limits  of  Judaism,  but  He  had 
set  His  gospel  free  from  Jewish  exclusiveness  and 
prepared  the  way  for  the  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles. 


120  Westminster  New  Testament 

21.  The  R.V.  shows  some  difference  in  order. 
Cf.  Rom.  i.  29  ;  Gal.  v.  19. 

22.  an  evil  eye.  A  Hebrew  synonym  for  a 
grudging,  envious,  greedy  disposition :  cf.  Deut. 
xv.  9  ;  Prov.  xxviii.  22  ;  Matt.  vi.  23,  xx.  15. 

blasphemy.     R.V.,  «  railing." 


Mark  vii.  24-30 ;  cf.  Matt.  xv.  21-28. 
THE  SYROPHCENICIAN  WOMAN. 

24  And  from  thence  he  arose,  and  went  into  the  borders  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  entered  into  an  house,  and  would  have 

25  no  man  know  it :  but  he  could  not  be  hid.  For  a  certain 
woman,  whose  young  daughter  had  an  unclean  spirit,  heard 

26  of  him,  and  came  and  fell  at  his  feet :  the  woman  was 
a  Greek,  a  Syrophenician  by  nation  ;  and  she  besought 
him  that  he  would  cast  forth  the  devil  out  of  her  daughter. 

27  But  Jesus  said  unto  her,  Let  the  children  first  be  filled  : 
for  it  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread,  and  to  cast 

28  it  unto  the  dogs.  And  she  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Yes, 
Lord :  yet  the  dogs  under  the  table  eat  of  the  children's 

29  crumbs.     And  he  said  unto  her,  For  this  saying  go  thy 

30  way  ;  the  devil  is  gone  out  of  thy  daughter.  And  when 
she  was  come  to  her  house,  she  found  the  devil  gone 
out,  and  her  daughter  laid  upon  the  bed. 

We  are  not  told  of  the  sequel  to  our  Lord's 
denunication  of  Leviticalism,  which  must  have 
offended  the  religious  sentiments  of  many  besides 
the  scribes  and  Pharisees.  But  it  is  at  least 
significant  that  He  at  once  went  away  (Matthew 
says  u  withdrew  ")  to  Gentile  territory,  and  that 
from  this  point  to  the  departure  for  Jerusalem 
(x.  1)  there  are  few  indications  of  any  public  work 
in    Galilee.     The    stress    of    the   narrative    rather 


St.   Mark  vii.  24-30  121 

changes  to  His  teaching  of  the  disciples,  and  the 
wide  journeyings  by  which  He  secured  privacy 
with  them. 

This  beautiful  story  of  a  Gentile  woman's  faith 
is  given  by  Matthew  (xv.  21-28)  in  a  form  ap- 
parently more  original.  Its  absence  from  Luke, 
the  Gospel  of  universalism  and  of  woman,  is  strange  ; 
but  for  some  reason  that  Gospel  omits  all  between 
Mark  vi.  44  and  viii.  27,  perhaps  to  make  room  for 
the  new  matter  which  it  introduces  from  Luke 
ix.  51  onwards. 

26.  The  woman  is  a  Greek  in  language  and 
religion  (unless  the  term  be  used  in  the  wider 
sense  of  non-Jew,  i.e.  Gentile),  Phoenician  in 
descent,  resident  in  Syria.  Matthew  calls  her 
simply  "a  Canaanitish  woman."  The  three  terms 
emphasise  the  strangeness  of  her  appeal  to  a  Jew. 

27.  The  abruptness  of  this  answer  is  softened  in 
Matthew.  Before  He  replies,  Jesus  at  first  is  silent, 
perhaps  perplexed  and  troubled :  His  disciples, 
begging  Him  to  free  them  from  the  woman's 
importunity  by  granting  her  request,  are  re- 
minded that  His  mission  was  limited  to  "  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,"  and  it  is  only  in 
response  to  her  further  pleading  that  He  tells  her, 
in  proverbial  phrase,  of  the  reason  for  His  hesitation. 
Jesus  uses  the  Jewish  term  for  Gentiles,  dogs, 
but  modifies  it  to  the  "  little  dogs  "  which  at  least 
have  some  place  in  the  household.  And  the 
proverb  is  cited  in  half-jesting  protest  rather  than 
to  convey  a  harsh  refusal. 

28.  R.V.,  "  Yea,  Lord ;  even  the  dogs,"  etc. 
The  "  yet "  of  A. V.  suggests  that  she  assents  to 
an  adverse  verdict,  yet  finds  a  loophole  of  escape  : 
but  she  in  fact  welcomes  the  metaphor  as  conceding 


122  Westminster  New  Testament , 

her  plea,  and  confidently  looks  for  the  "crumb" 
which,  on  Jesus'  own  showing,  is  her  rightful  due. 

29-  The  language  might  suggest  that  the  cure 
was  a  reward  for  her  ready  wit.  It  must  be 
interpreted  by  the  wondering  exclamation  recorded 
in  Matthew  :  "  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith  :  be  it 
done  unto  thee  even  as  thou  wilt."  Her  impetu- 
ous faith,  ignoring  all  barriers,  had  gone  right  to 
the  heart  of  things,  and  set  free  His  will  and  power 
to  heal.  What  a  breath  of  fresh  reality  after  the 
stifling  formalism  from  which  He  had  lately 
escaped ! 


Mark  vii.  31-37  (cf.  Matt.  xv.  29-31). 
EPHPHATHA. 

31  And  again,  departing  from  the  coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon, 
he  came  unto  the  sea  of  Galilee,  through  the  midst  of  the 

32  coasts  of  Decapolis.  And  they  bring  unto  him  one  that 
was  deaf,  and  had  an  impediment  in  his  speech ;    and 

33  they  beseech  him  to  put  his  hand  upon  him.  And  he 
took  him  aside  from   the  multitude,  and   put   his  fingers 

34  into  his  ears,  and  he  spit,  and  touched  his  tongue ;  and 
looking   up   to   heaven,  he   sighed,  and   saith   unto  him, 

35  Ephphatha,  that  is,  Be  opened.  And  straightway  his 
ears  were  opened,  and  the  string  of  his  tongue  was  loosed, 

36  and  he  spake  plain.  And  he  charged  them  that  they 
should  tell  no  man  :   but  the  more  he  charged  them,    so 

37  much  the  more  a  great  deal  they  published  it  ;  and  were 
beyond  measure  astonished,  saying,  He  hath  done  all 
things  well :  he  maketh  both  the  deaf  to  hear,  and  the 
dumb  to  speak. 

A  long  detour  (not  specified  by  Matthew)  brings 
Jesus  again  to  the  east  side  of  the  lake.     Matthew 


St.  Mark  viii.  i-io  123 

tells  how  the  multitudes  flocked  to  Him,  bringing 
their  sick.  Mark  gives  the  details  of  one  cure, 
the  first  of  the  two  miracles  peculiar  to  his  Gospel 
(cf.  viii.  22-26). 

33.  The  going  aside  from  the  multitude,  the 
symbolic  touch  of  the  organ  affected,  the  upward 
look  of  prayer  and  the  sigh,  and  finally  the  tense 
word  of  command,  preserved  in  its  original  Aramaic 
form,  make  up  a  picture  drawn  from  life,  and 
suggest  special  circumstances  about  this  case  to 
which  we  have  not  the  clue.  Saliva  was  popularly 
believed  to  have  curative  properties :  cf.  viii.  23 ; 
John  ix.  6. 

36.  The  old  story !     See  n.  on  i.  34. 

37.  Matthew  has  an  interesting  reminder  of  the 
Gentile  character  of  this  multitude  in  his  phrase, 
*  They  glorified  the  God  of  Israel." 


Mark  viii.  i-io  ;  cf.  Matt.  32-39. 

THE  FEEDING  OF  THE  FOUR  THOUSAND. 

In  those  days  the  multitude  being  very  great,  and  having 
nothing   to  eat,  Jesus  called  his  disciples  unto  him,  and 

2  saith  unto  them,  I  have  compassion  on  the  multitude, 
because  they  have  now  been  with  me  three  days,  and  have 

3  nothing  to  eat :  and  if  I  send  them  away  fasting  to  their 
own  houses,  they  will  faint  by  the  way  :  for  divers  of  them 

4  came  from  far.  And  his  disciples  answered  him,  From 
whence  can  a  man  satisfy  these  men  with  bread  here  in 

5  the  wilderness  ?     And  he  asked  them,   How  many  loaves 

6  have  ye  ?  And  they  said,  Seven.  And  he  commanded 
the  people  to  sit  down  on  the  ground :  and  he  took  the 
seven  loaves,  and  gave  thanks,  and  brake,  and  gave  to  his 
disciples  to  set  before  them  ;  and  they  did  set  them  before 

7  the  people.     And   they  had   a  few  small  fishes  :   and  he 


i24  Westminster  New  Testament 

blessed,  and  commanded   to  set   them  also  before  them. 

8  So  they  did  eat,  and  were  filled  :  and  they  took  up  of  the 

9  broken  meat  that  was  left  seven  baskets.     And  they  that 
had  eaten  were  about  four   thousand  :    and  he  sent  them 

10  away.     And  straightway  he  entered  into  a  ship  with  his 
disciples,  and  came  into  the  parts  of  Dalmanutha. 

The  points  of  resemblance  between  this  miracle 
and  that  of  chap.  vi.  are  many  and  obvious :  a  few 
differences  are  noted  below.  The  double  story 
emphasises  the  certainty  that  Jesus  did  feed  the 
multitudes. 

1.  R.V.,  "when  there  was  again  a  great  multi- 
tude." A  reference  to  the  similar  situation  of 
chap.  vi.  It  is  Jesus  who  this  time  raises  the  ques- 
tion of  supplies. 

2.  A  different  motive  for  compassion  from  that 
of  vi.  34,  and  the  situation  altogether  more 
remarkable.  Possibly  this  was  a  Gentile  crowd 
which  had  so  long  interrupted  the  privacy  of  Jesus 
and  His  disciples. 

3.  R.V.,  "and  some  of  them  are  come  from  far." 

4.  An  extraordinary  question  after  that  of  vi.  37 
and  its  answer  ;  but  see  vi.  52,  viii.  17. 

5.  The  supply  of  food,  though  not  replenished 
for  three  days,  is  larger  than  on  the  former 
occasion ;  a  lesson  learnt,  perhaps,  during  recent 
wanderings. 

8.  baskets.  A  different  word  from  that  of  vi.  43, 
and  a  point  of  distinction  consistently  maintained 
in  all  the  references  to  the  two  miracles :  in  what 
the  difference  consisted  is  not  certain. 

10.  Dalmanutha.  Matthew  has  "  Magadan." 
Neither  place  can  be  identified,  but  it  would  seem 
that  the  crossing  is  from  east  to  west,  and  at  ver.  13 
again  from  west  to  east. 


St.   Mark  viii.  11-13 


Mark  viii.  11-13 ;  cf.  Matt.  xvi.  1-4,  xii.  38-42; 
Luke  xi.  29-32. 

THE  PHARISEES  DEMAND  A  SIGN  FROM 
HEAVEN. 

1 1  And  the  Pharisees  came  forth,  and  began  to  question  with 
him,  seeking  of  him  a  sign  from  heaven,  tempting  him. 

12  And  he  sighed  deeply  in  his  spirit,  and  saith,  Why  doth 
this  generation  seek  after  a  sign?  verily  I  say  unto  you, 

13  There  shall  no  sign  be  given  unto  this  generation.  And 
he  left  them,  and  entering  into  the  ship  again  departed  to 
the  other  side. 

11.  The  point  lies  in  the  from  heaven,  some 
dazzling  portent  in  the  skies  such  as  was  expected 
to  usher  in  the  Messianic  kingdom  (cf.  xiii.  24). 

tempting  him.  Because  the  demand  came 
from  a  malicious  unbelief  (x.  2,  xii.  15),  and  invited 
Him  to  forsake  His  trust  in  spiritual  forces  (i.  13). 
The  word  in  itself  might  mean  "testing/'  but  the 
Markan  usage,  as  quoted,  seems  decisive  for  the 
uglier  meaning. 

12.  A  grieved  refusal:  sign  for  the  sake  of 
sign  He  would  and  could  give  none.  And  why 
was  it  sought  ?  Jonah  preached,  the  men  of 
Nineveh  repented.  A  greater  than  Jonah  is  here, 
His  preaching  and  His  mighty  works  one  con- 
tinual sign :  no  other  shall  be  given  than  the  sign 
of  Jonah  (cf.  Matt.  xvi.  4  as  interpreted  by  Matt, 
xii.  41,  not  by  Matt.  xii.  40,  which  looks  like  the 
product  of  after-reflection). 


i26  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  viii.  14-21 ;  cf.  Matt.  xvi.  5-12 ;  Luke  xi. 
53-xii.  1. 

THE  LEAVEN  OF  THE  PHARISEES  AND 
OF  HEROD. 

14  Now  the  disciples  had  forgotten  to  take  bread,  neither  had 

15  they  in  the  ship  with  them  more  than  one  loaf.  And  he 
charged  them,  saying,  Take  heed,  beware  of  the  leaven  of 

16  the  Pharisees,  and  of  the  leaven  of  Herod.  And  they 
reasoned  among  themselves,  saying,  It  is  because  we  have 

17  no  bread.  And  when  Jesus  knew  it,  he  saith  unto  them, 
Why  reason  ye,  because  ye  have  no  bread?  perceive  ye 
not  yet,    neither  understand  ?    have    ye    your    heart  yet 

18  hardened?     Having  eyes,  see  ye  not?  and  having  ears, 

19  hear  ye  not  ?  and  do  ye  not  remember  ?  When  I  brake  the 
five  loaves  among  five  thousand,  how  many  baskets  full  of 
fragments  took  ye  up  ?      They   say   unto   him,    Twelve. 

20  And  when  the  seven  among  four  thousand,  how  many 
baskets   full  of  fragments  took   ye  up  ?     And  they  said, 

21  Seven.  And  he  said  unto  them,  How  is  it  that  ye  do 
not  understand  ? 

The  occasion  of  this  isolated  saying  was  made 
memorable  to  the  disciples  by  a  stupid  comment, 
frankly  related,  leading  to  a  severe  rebuke. 

15.  The  discovery  that  the  bread  had  been 
forgotten  suggests  to  Jesus  a  train  of  thought 
which  at  last  finds  expression  in  this  abrupt 
warning. 

leaven.  The  principle  of  fermentation,  a  type 
(except  in  the  Parable  of  the  Leaven)  of  pervasive 
evil  influence  (cf.  1  Cor.  v.  6-8). 

the  leaven  of  the  Pharisees  may  be  inter- 
preted as  formalism  in  religion,  issuing  in  spiritual 
blindness   (ver.    11)  and    hypocrisy  (Luke  xii.   1); 


St.  Mark  viii.  22-26  127 

that  of  Herod  as  worldliness.  The  teaching  of 
Jesus  laid  all  stress  on  simplicity  and  sincerity, 
inward  truth  and  moral  realities,  the  pure  heart  to 
which  alone  is  granted  the  vision  of  God. 

16.  Their  thoughts  cannot  rise  beyond  the 
materia]  need,  and  in  some  vague  fashion  they 
suppose  the  Master's  warning  to  be  prompted  by 
His  concern  at  the  thoughtless  lack  of  bread. 

17.  A  sharp  rebuke  to  their  persistent  dulness 
(cf.  iv.  13,  vi.  52,  vii.  18),  asking  whether  even  to 
the  Twelve  must  Isaiah's  words  of  judgment  be 
applied  (cf.  iv.  12). 

19-21.  How  is  it  possible  that  after  such  ex- 
periences they  could  imagine  His  thoughts  to  be 
busy  with  anxieties  about  food  ? 


Mark  viii.  22-26. 
HEALING  OF  A  BLIND  MAN  AT  BETHSAIDA 

22  And  he  cometh  to  Bethsaida  ;  and  they  bring  a  blind  man 

23  unto  him,  and  besought  him  to  touch  him.  And  he  took 
the  blind  man  by  the  hand,  and  led  him  out  of  the  town ; 
and  when  he  had  spit  on  his  eyes,  and  put  his  hands  upon 

24  him,  he  asked  him  if  he  saw  ought.     And  he  looked  up, 

25  and  said,  I  see  men  as  trees,  walking.  After  that  he  put 
his  hands  again  upon  his  eyes,  and  made  him  look  up  :  and 

26  he  was  restored,  and  saw  every  man  clearly.  And  he  sent 
him  away  to  his  house,  saying,  Neither  go"  into  the  town, 
nor  tell  it  to  any  in  the  town. 

The  second  of  the  two  miracles  peculiar  to  Mark 
(cf.  vii.  32-37),  related,  like  the  former,  with 
unusually  full  and  graphic  detail. 

22.  Bethsaida- Julias.     See  n.  on  vi.  45. 


i28  Westminster  New  Testament 

23.  The  details  closely  resemble  those  of 
vii.  33. 

24.  The  only  instance  in  the  Gospels  of  a 
gradual  cure :  at  the  first  contact  a  dim  perception 
of  objects  which  might  be  trees  were  it  not  that 
they  move,  at  the  second  fully  restored  vision. 
The  man  remembered  what  trees  and  men  looked 
like,  so  could  not  have  been  always  blind. 

The  A.V.  follows  a  faulty  text,  and  does  not 
give  the  two  stages  of  recovery  of  sight  accurately. 
R.V.,  "  And  he  looked  up,  and  said,  I  see  men  ; 
for  I  behold  them  as  trees,  walking.  Then  again 
he  laid  his  hands  upon  his  eyes ;  and  he  looked 
stedfastly,  and  was  restored,  and  saw  all  things 
clearly." 

26.  After  "saying"  R.V.  has  simply,  "Do  not 
even  enter  into  the  village." 


Mark  viii.  27-ix.  1;  cf.  Matt.  xvi.  13-28  =  Luke 
ix.  18-27. 

THE  DISCIPLES  RECOGNISE  JESUS  AS 
MESSIAH. 

'27  And  Jesus  went  out,  and  his  disciples,  into  the  towns  of 
Csesarea  Philippi :  and  by  the  way  he  asked  his  disciples, 

28  saying  unto  them,  Whom  do  men  say  that  I  am  ?     And 
they  answered,  John  the  Baptist :    but  some  say,   Elias  ; 

29  and  others,  One  of  the  prophets.     And  he  saith  unto  them, 
But  whom  say  ye  that  I  am  ?     And  Peter  answereth  and 

30  saith  unto  him,  Thou  art  the  Christ.      And  he  charged 

31  "them  that  they  should  tell  no  man  of  him.     And  he  began 

to  teach  them,  that  the  Son  of  man  must  suffer  many 
things,  and  be  rejected  of  the  elders,  and  of  tlje  chief 
priests,  and  scribes,  and  be  killed,  and  after  three  days  rise 

32  again.      And  he  spake  that  saying  openly.      And  Peter 


St.   Mark  viii.  27-ix.  1         129 

33  took  him,  and  began  to  rebuke  him.  But  when  he  had 
turned  about  and  looked  on  his  disciples,  he  rebuked 
Peter,  saying,  Get  thee  behind  me,  Satan :  for  thou 
savourest  not  the  things  that  be  of  God,  but  the  things 

34  that  be  of  men.  And  when  he  had  called  the  people  unto 
him  with  his  disciples  also,  he  said  unto  them,  Whosoever 
will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his 

35  cross,  and  follow  me.  For  whosoever  will  save  his  life 
shall  lose  it ;  but  whosoever  shall  lose  his  life  for  my  sake 

36  and  the  gospel's,  the  same  shall  save  it.  For  what  shall  it 
profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the  whole  world,  and  lose  his 

37  own  soul  ?     Or  what  shall  a  man  give  in  exchange  for  his 

38  soul  ?  Whosoever  therefore  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and 
of  my  words  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation,  of 
him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he 
cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy  angels. 

ix.  1  And  he  said  unto  them,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  there 
be  some  of  them  that  stand  here,  which  shall  not  taste  of 
death,  till  they  have  seen  the  kingdom  of  God  come  with 
power. 

Mark's  story  now  reaches  a  momentous  crisis  in 
the  life  of  Jesus.  The  great  incidents  of  chap.  vi. 
were  really  the  climax  of  His  ministry  in  Galilee  ; 
since  the  open  rupture  with  "tradition"  which 
followed,  He  had  been  more  or  less  an  exile, 
alone  with  His  disciples. 

How  His  thoughts  of  Himself  and  His  mission 
developed  under  the  altered  conditions  we  cannot 
tell,  but  the  retirement  to  the  remote  North  and 
the  question  put  to  His  disciples  witness  to  a 
changed  outlook  and  a  settled  purpose.  For  Him 
the  parting  of  the  ways  had  come,  and  He  must 
enter  upon  a  way  which  He  knew  to  be  the  way 
of  the  Cross.  His  conviction  that  He  was  Messiah, 
dawning  upon  Him  perhaps  at  His  baptism,  had 


130  Westminster  New  Testament 

been  kept  hidden  in  His  own  heart,  deepening  of 
late  under  experiences  which  must  have  turned 
His  thoughts  to  the  prophet's  description  of  the 
suffering  Servant  of  Jehovah,  rejected  by  His 
generation. 

Had  that  conviction  dawned  upon  His  disciples  ? 
What  did  they  think  of  Him,  after  months  of  close 
companionship  ?  For  if  He  had  succeeded  there, 
and  by  the  methods  of  His  own  choice,  no  other 
failure  mattered.  That  is  what  He  must  know 
before  He  can  put  the  past  behind  Him  and  "set 
His  face  to  go  to  Jerusalem."  And  so  for  the  first 
time  He  questions  them  of  their  thoughts  about 
Himself,  elicits  from  Peter  the  great  confession, 
and  immediately,  for  the  first  time,  warns  them  of 
His  impending  rejection  and  death. 

27.  Caesarea  Philippi.  Formerly  Panias  (now 
Banias),  on  the  south  slopes  of  Hermon,  partly  re- 
built by  Philip  the  Tetrarch,  and  renamed  Caesarea 
in  honour  of  the  Emperor ;  commonly  known  as 
w  Philip's  Caesarea  "  in  distinction  from  Caesarea  on 
the  seacoast  (Acts  ix.  30,  etc.).  Jesus  kept  to  the 
"  villages  "  (R.V.)  of  the  district. 

Who  do  men  say  that  I  am  ?  (the  ungram- 

matical  "  whom "  is  an  imitation  of  the  Greek 
idiom).  Jesus  had  no  doubt  heard  of  the  earlier 
rumours  about  Himself,  but  may  well  have  wished 
to  learn  whether  a  more  daring  surmise  had  not 
found  voice  among  the  people. 

28.  See  n.  on  vi.  14,  15.  They  recognised  in 
Him  a  personality  altogether  outside  ordinary  ex- 
perience, possibly  the  herald  of  Messiah,  but  of 
Messiah  Himself  they  had  quite  other  expectations. 

29.  The  question  must  have  been  put  with 
intense  emotion,  for  on  its  answer  depended,  so  far 


St.  Mark  viii.  27-ix.  1        131 

as  we  can  see,  the  success  or  failure  of  His  mission. 
It  was  at  least  conceivable  that  the  disciples  at 
best  shared  the  popular  belief:  familiar  intimacy 
with  the  great  does  not  always  bring  clearer 
insight  into  their  greatness.  But  if  through  this 
very  personal  fellowship  they  had  so  come  to  know 
Him  as  to  surrender  all  lesser  ideals  of  the  king- 
dom for  His  ideal  and  to  see  fulfilled  in  Him, 
against  all  preconception,  every  promise  of  a 
Deliverer  for  Israel,  then  His  cause  was  safe :  in 
winning  them  He  had  won  all.  Peter,  as  spokes- 
man of  the  disciples,  gives  their  answer :  what  it 
meant  to  Jesus  may  be  gathered  from  the  exultant 
outburst  recorded  by  Matthew  (xvi.  17-19). 

Thou  art  the  Christ  (Luke  adds,  "of  God"  ; 
Matthew, "  the  Son  of  the  living  God  "  :  the  shorter 
form  is  probably  original).  "  Christ  "  is  the  Greek 
equivalent  of  "  Messiah,"  "  the  anointed  One  "  :  the 
term  is  taken  from  the  "anointing"  by  which 
kings  and  priests  were  designated  to  their  office. 

30.  See  notes  on  i.  11,  34,  ii.  10. 

31.  began  to  teach  thern.  A  most  startling 
new  departure  in  His  instruction,  the  first  of  three 
recorded  announcements  of  His  coming  Passion 
(cf.  ix.  31,  x.  33). 

Son  of  man.  See  n.  on  ii.  10.  Here  evidently 
a  Messianic  title. 

must  suffer.  Jesus  sees  in  all  that  awaits  Him 
the  Divine  ought. 

elders  and  chief  priests  and  scribes.  A  de- 
signation of  the  national  Council,  or  Sanhedrin,  by 
its  constituent  parts. 

32.  openly.  Without  any  reserve  :  not  hinting 
at  it  as  a  dread  possibility,  but  plainly  declaring  that 
it  must  and  would  happen.     Peter,  startled  out  of 


132  Westminster  New  Testament 

self-control  by  this  unexpected  shock  to  the 
Messianic  faith  he  had  confessed  so  confidently, 
took  Jesus  aside  and  rebuked  Him.  Matthew 
quotes  the  words:  "Be  it  far  from  thee,  Lord: 
this  shall  never  be  unto  thee." 

33.  R.V.,  "But  he  turning  about,  and  seeing 
his  disciples."  For  the  disciples'  sake  Peters 
intervention  must  be  sharply  censured  and  the 
motives  of  it  openly  and  instantly  disavowed. 

Satan.  Jesus  does  not  "  call  names,"  but  recog- 
nises Peter's  suggestion  that  He  might  yet  avoid  the 
appointed  way  of  the  Cross  as  a  temptation  from  the 
devil ;  cf.  Matt.  iv.  10. 

savourest.  R.V.,  "  mindest "  (cf.  for  the  word 
used,  Rom.  viii.  5  ;  Phil.  ii.  5,  iii.  19  ;  Col.  iii.  2).  The 
whole  set  of  the  mind  from  which  such  a  tempta- 
tion could  come  is  opposed  to  the  Divine  thought 
and  will.  A  humiliating  rebuke  for  the  man  who 
had  just  reached  the  height  of  confessing  Jesus  as 
the  Christ ;  but  the  faith  of  the  disciples  had  many 
a  lesson  to  learn  before  it  could  survive  the  Cruci- 
fixion, and  many  more  before  it  could  find  in  the 
Cross  its  deepest  inspiration  and  its  message  for 
the  world. 

34.  This  introduction  of  the  multitude  is  unex- 
pected ;  it  is  omitted  by  Matthew,  and  is  modified 
by  Luke  into  "  And  he  said  to  them  all." 

If  any  man  wills  to  follow  Jesus,  he  must  be 
prepared,  not  simply  to  give  up  some  things  that 
are  pleasant,  but  to  renounce  himself,  even  to  the 
point,  if  need  be,  of  a  shameful  death. 

take  up  his  cross.  Not  a  forecast  by  Jesus  of 
the  manner  of  His  own  death,  but  a  general 
expression,  which  all  would  understand,  for  going 
to  execution. 


St.   Mark  viii.  27-ix.  1         133 

35.  The  instinct  of  self  -  preservation  is  only 
rightly  interpreted  and  fulfilled  by  self-  renuncia- 
tion. The  great  saying  of  this  verse  is  expressed 
in  a  paradoxical  form  which  does  not  easily 
lend  itself  to  exact  interpretation.  The  phrase 
"  to  save  a  life "  has  already  occurred  (iii.  4) 
as  the  opposite  to  "  kill,"  in  a  literal  sense,  and 
that  is  its  ordinary  meaning.  Further,  Jesus  im- 
mediately goes  on  to  speak  of  the  future  coming 
of  the  Son  of  man  and  of  the  kingdom  of  God  : 
then  He  will  ft  be  ashamed "  of  those  who  have 
been  ashamed  of  Him,  and  (according  to  Matt, 
xvi.  27)  will  "render  to  every  man  according  to 
his  deeds."  A  similar  saying  as  to  finding  and 
losing  life  is  repeated  by  Matthew  in  another 
context  (x.  39),  where  it  is  again  led  up  to  by  the 
possibility  that  Jesus  may  "deny"  men  before 
His  Father  (ver.  33),  and  also  by  a  warning  not  to 
be  afraid  of  them  which  kill  the  body  but  are  not 
able  to  kill  the  soul  (lit.  "life,"  the  word  used 
throughout  our  passage),  but  to  fear  Him  which  is 
able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in  hell.  Luke 
also  has  the  saying  a  second  time,  in  connection 
with  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  (xvii.  33).  In 
the  Fourth  Gospel,  Jesus,  knowing  that  now  the 
' '  hour  has  come "  when  He  must  die,  declares, 
"  He  that  loveth  his  life  loseth  it ;  and  he  that 
hateth  his  life  in  this  world  shall  keep  it  unto  life 
eternal "  (John  xii.  25).  It  would  seem  clear,  then, 
that  in  its  simpler  and  primary  aspect  the  saying  is 
eschatological,  referring  to  the  future.  To  cling  to 
life  unworthily,  whatever  be  the  immediate  gain,  is 
ultimate  loss  unspeakable,  for  death  when  it  does 
come  will  mean  exclusion  from  the  kingdom  of 
God,  or,  in  John's  equivalent   phrase,  the  loss  of 


i34  Westminster  New  Testament 

eternal  life  ;  on  the  other  hand,  the  life  that  is 
willingly  laid  down  in  loyalty  to  Christ  is  not 
ended,  but  passes  on  into  life  eternal. 

"That,  has  the  world  here — should  he  need  the  next, 
Let  the  world  mind  him  ! 
This,  throws  himself  on  God,  and  unperplexed 
Seeking  shall  find  Him." 

Browning,  A  Grammarians  Funeral. 

Since,  however,  Jesus  conceived  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  and  of  eternal  life  not  only  as  future  but  as 
here  and  now,  the  words  have  also  a  present 
significance :  they  are  an  ethical  valuation  of  life. 
A  man  may  lose  his  life  even  while  he  continues 
to  live,  may  save  his  life  though  he  has  surrendered 
all  that  in  others'  judgment  makes  life  worth 
living.  So  regarded,  this  saying  of  Jesus  must  be 
taken  in  its  full  sweep.  He  does  not  simply  bid 
us  part  with  the  lower  things  of  life  to  gain  the 
higher.  The  same  word — life — is  used  throughout 
the  passage,  and  it  has  one  meaning,  not  two.  It 
stands  for  the  individual  self  I  to  lose  one's  life  is 
to  deny  oneself  (ver.  34),  and  the  call  is  to  abandon 
self-interests,  higher  or  lower,  round  which  as  a 
centre  life  tends  to  revolve,  and  to  seek  a  centre 
outside  self.  In  living  for  others,  supremely  in 
living  for  Another,  is  life  for  self  realised.  A 
paradox,  startling  if  pressed  (as  R.V.  marg.,  quite 
legitimately)  to  the  point  of  saying,  "  Whosoever 
would  save  his  soul  shall  lose  it,"  yet  the  very  secret 
of  life  for  Jesus  Himself  and  for  all  who  would 
follow  Him. 

for  my  sake.  A  great  claim,  confirming  Peter's 
confession.  The  addition  and  the  gospel's  is 
not  found  in  Matthew  or  Luke. 


St.  Mark  ix.  2-8  135 

36.  lose  his  own  SOUl.  R.V.,  "forfeit  his  life." 
The  one  word  should  have  one  rendering,  whether 
"  life  "  or  "  soul/'  all  through  the  passage. 

38.  An  appropriation  of  the  prophecy  of  Dan. 
vii.  13;  cf.  xiii.  2.6,  xiv.  62. 

ix.  1.  A  clear  and  solemn  (Verily  I  say  UtltO 
you)  prediction  of  the  coming  of  the  kingdom 
of  God  (Matthew,  "  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his 
kingdom  ")  within  the  lifetime  of  some  at  least  of 
the  Twelve.  The  introductory  formula,  And  he 
Said  unto  them,  may  indicate  an  isolated  saying, 
placed  in  this  context  by  the  Evangelist.  But  it 
evidently  links  on  to  what  has  preceded,  and  should 
form  the  closing  verse  of  chap.  viii.  (so  R.V.).  To 
place  it  at  the  beginning  of  chap.  ix.  is  to  interpret 
the  prediction  as  fulfilled  in  the  Transfiguration, 
an  interpretation  of  venerable  antiquity,  but  quite 
unwarrantable.  That  event  was  not  a  coming  of 
the  kingdom  of  God  with  power ;  and  it  was  too 
probable  to  need  explicit  statement  that  some  at 
least  of  the  disciples  would  be  still  alive  at  the  end 
of  a  week.  What  these  difficult  words  really  mean 
may  be  better  considered  in  connection  with  the 
prophecies  of  chap.  xiii. 


Mark  ix.  2-8;  cf.  Matt.  xvii.  i-8=Luke  ix.  28-36. 
THE  TRANSFIGURATION. 

2  And  after  six  days  Jesus  taketh  with  him  Teter,  and  James, 
and  John,  and  leadeth  them  up  into  an  high  mountain  apart 

3  by  themselves  :  and  he  was  transfigured  before  them.     And 
his  raiment  became  shining,  exceeding  white  as  snow  ;  so 

4  as  no  fuller  on  earth  can  white  them.     And  there  appeared 
unto  them  Elias  with  Moses :  and  they  were  talking  with 


136  Westminster  New  Testament 

5  Jesus.  And  Peter  answered  and  said  to  Jesus,  Master,  it 
is  good  for  us  to  be  here  :  and  let  us  make  three  taber- 
nacles ;  one  for  thee,  and  one  for  Moses,  and  one  for  Elias. 

6  For  he  wist  not  what  to  say  ;  for  they  were  sore  afraid. 

7  And  there  was  a  cloud  that  overshadowed  them  :  and  a 
voice  came  out  of  the  cloud,  saying,  This  is  my  beloved 

8  Son  :  hear  him.  And  suddenly,  when  they  had  looked 
round  about,  they  saw  no  man  any  more,  save  Jesus  only 
with  themselves. 


The  wonderful  occurrence  now  to  be  related 
follows  close  on  the  announcement  of  the  Passion, 
with  the  comments  to  which  it  led  :  the  connection 
is  emphasised  by  the  unusual  note  of  time,  u  after 
six  days."  At  the  crisis  of  His  choice  of  the  path 
of  humiliation  and  death  there  comes  to  Jesus 
this  hour  of  exaltation  and  the  approving  voice 
from  heaven.  The  disciples  had  now  to  hold  fast 
their  new-found  faith  in  the  Christ  in  spite  of  the 
"  offence  of  the  cross "  :  they  are  permitted  one 
convincing  vision  of  His  glory  and  are  bidden  hear 
Him  as  One  in  whom  Law  and  Prophets  find  fulfil- 
ment. Thus  the  Transfiguration  "corrects  the 
perspective  of  the  sufferings,  and  preludes  the 
triumph "  (Loisy).  Yet  while  we  can  see  the 
fitness  of  the  event  at  this  juncture,  both  for  Jesus 
and  the  disciples,  the  event  itself  lies  beyond  our 
understanding  :  the  commentator  must  give  place 
to  the  preacher  and  the  poet. 

2.  Peter  and  James  and  John.  Cf.  v.  37, xiv.  33. 

a  high  mountain.  As  it  is  only  at  ver.  30  that 
they  leave  the  neighbourhood  of  Caesarea  Philippi, 
the  scene  is  evidently  some  summit  of  the  Hermon 
range,  not  the  traditional  Tabor  near  Nazareth. 
Luke  says  His  purpose  was  to  pray. 


St.   Mark  ix.  2-8  137 

transfigured.  An  emphatic  word  to  express 
the  complete  and  wonderful  change  ;  cf.  2  Cor.  iii. 
18  (same  word).  Luke,  '-'as  he  was  praying,  the 
fashion  of  his  countenance  was  altered." 

3.  Matthew,  "  His  face  did  shine  as  the  sun,  and 
his  garments  became  white  as  the  light." 

Shining.  R.V.,  "glistering,"  i.e.,  glistening, 
gleaming.  Luke  has  *  dazzling"  (lit.  "  flashing  forth 
like  lightning").  The  Evangelists  use  every  resource 
of  language  in  the  attempt  to  describe  their  vision  of 
"his  glory"  (Luke).  The  vision  is  enhanced  if 
(with  Luke)  we  suppose  it  to  have  been  set  in  the 
darkness  of  night. 

as  Snow.  It  is  tempting  to  connect  the  figure 
with  the  snows  of  Hermon,  but  R.V.  rightly 
omits :  perhaps  from  Dan.  vii.  9. 

4.  The  two  outstanding  figures  of  the  O.T.  : 
Elijah  (named  first)  the  prophet,  and  in  the  N.T. 
the  herald  of  Messiah  (Mai.  iv.  5  ;  cf.  Mark  vi.  1  *>, 
and  see  below,  ver.  11),  and  with  him  Moses  the 
lawgiver,  the  founder  and  embodiment  of  Judaism. 
"  Law  and  prophecy  rendered  homage  to  the 
Gospel"  (Loisy).  Luke  adds  that  they  "spake  of 
his  decease." 

5.  According  to  A.V.  (and  R.V.),  Peter,  in  a 
dazed  sort  of  way,  intrudes  upon  the  vision  with 
an  expression  of  satisfaction  (possibly  of  thanks  to 
Jesus,  so  Weymouth,  N.T.  in  Modern  Speech)  at 
being  permitted  to  witness  it.  The  words,  however, 
may  mean,  •'"What  a  good  thing  that  we  are  here  !  " 
viz.  to  help  thee  to  retain  these  heavenly  visitants 
by  building  shelters.  This  seems  nearer  to  the  Greek, 
and  gives  fresh  point  to  the  comment  of  ver.  6. 

tabernacles.  Booths  for  shelter,  made  of 
branches  of  trees.     Peter,  not  yet  convinced  that 


138  Westminster  New  Testament 

"  the  Son  of  man  must  suffer  many  things,"  might 
well  feel  that  Jesus  had  now  assumed  His  rightful 
glory  as  Messiah,  and  must  never  let  it  depart  from 
Him. 

6.  How  foolish  the  suggestion  looked  in  the 
light  of  a  later  understanding  of  the  true  glory  of 
Christ  and  the  way  by  which  it  was  reached ! 

R.V.,  "  they  became  sore  afraid."  The  unheeded 
words  died  away  in  dread  before  the  growing  wonder 
of  the  vision  :  so  Matthew  and  Luke. 

7.  R.V.,  "  And  there  came  a  cloud  over- 
shadowing them"  (Matthew,  "a  bright  cloud"). 
The  symbol  of  the  awful  Presence  of  God  (Ex.  xvi. 
10,  xxiv.  15-18,  xxxiii.  9,  etc.). 

a  voice.  Cf.  n.  on  i.  11.  The  disciples  receive 
the  Divine  testimony  to  Jesus  as  the  Christ  "of 
whom  Moses  and  the  prophets  did  write"  (Johni.  45), 
and  the  Divine  command  to  hear  and  obey  Him. 
Every  other  authority  for  truth  or  conduct,  however 
august,  is  to  be  estimated  and  interpreted  by  His 
word :  every  other  revelation  is  crowned  and  per- 
fected in  Him. 

8.  Matthew  depicts  them  fallen  to  the  ground  in 
terror,  till  reassured  by  the  touch  and  voice  of 
Jesus.  The  vision  passed  in  a  moment,  but  all 
that  it  had  meant  might  still  be  realised  in  the 
companionship  and  service  of  their  Master.  Cf. 
Heb.  xii.  18-24. 


Mark  ix.  9-13 ;  cf.  Matt.  xvii.  9-13. 

ON  THE  WAY  DOWN  FROM  THE  MOUNTAIN. 

9  And  as  they  came  down  from  the  mountain,  he  charged 
them  that  they  should  tell  no  man  what  things  they  had 


St.  Mark  ix.  9-13  139 

10  seen,  till  the  Son  of  man  were  risen  from  the  dead.  And 
they  kept  that  saying  with  themselves,  questioning  one  with 

1 1  another  what  the  rising  from  the  dead  should  mean.  And 
they  asked  him,  saying,  Why  say  the  scribes  that  Elias  must 

12  first  come?  And  he  answered  and  told  them,  Elias  verily 
cometh  first,  and  restoreth  all  things  ;  and  how  it  is  written 
of  the  Son  of  man,  that  he  must  suffer  many  things,  and 

13  be  set  at  nought.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  Elias  is  indeed 
come,  and  they  have  done  unto  him  whatsoever  they  listed, 
as  it  is  written  of  him. 

Jesus  repeats  the  injunction  to  silence  of  viii.  30. 
The  prohibition,  coupled  with  a  reference  to  His 
resurrection  which  they  did  not  understand,  ex- 
plains why  the  vision  they  had  witnessed  makes  no 
mark  upon  the  evangelic  history  beyond  the  bare 
record.  The  notes  of  the  conversation  which 
follows  are  fragmentary  :  the  disciples  evidently  try 
to  get  fresh  light  on  the  perplexities  which  have 
been  crowding  upon  them. 

10.  R.V.,  "  And  they  kept  [lit.  held  fast]  the 
saying,  questioning  among  themselves."  Cf. 
ver.   32. 

11.  See  n.  on  vi.  15.  If  there  is  any  reference 
to  the  appearance  of  Elijah  just  recorded,  their 
difficulty  is  that  this  belated  and  momentary 
coming  in  vision  does  not  fulfil  the  prophecy  or 
the  expectations  based  upon  it.  But  the  sequel 
suggests  that  the  disciples  ignore  the  vision  and 
are  perplexed  because  Elijah  has  not  come  at  all. 

12.  The  prophecy  holds  good:  Elijah  does 
Come  first,  with  the  functions  predicted  of  him 
(Mai.  iv.  6).  How  so?  Before  answering,  Jesus 
corrects  their  perspective  by  putting  a  question  to 
them.  This  particular  prophecy  was  prominent  in 
popular  beliefs  about  Messiah,  and  they  are  con- 


140  Westminster  New  Testament 

cerned  to  see  its  fulfilment.  Have  they  the  same 
concern  about  other  prophecies  of  Him?  How 
(i.e.  with  what  meaning)  is  it  written  of  the  Son 
of  man,  that  he  must  suffer?  Does  that  prophecy 
hold  good,  and  are  they  prepared  to  see  it  come  to 
pass  ?  The  reference  is  to  Isa.  liii.  Matthew  is 
simpler  here. 

13.  Elijah  had  come  in  the  person  of  John 
the  Baptist  (so,  according  to  Matthew,  the  disciples 
rightly  understood),  who  suffered  for  righteousness' 
sake,  and  so  fulfilled  the  threatenings  written 
concerning  Elijah  (1  Kings  xviii.  17,  xix.  2,  10). 
See  notes  on  i.  2-8. 


Mark  ix.  14-29;  cf.  Matt.  xvii.  14-20= Luke  ix.  37-43. 
THE  EPILEPTIC  BOY. 

14  And  when  he  came  to  his  disciples,  he  saw  a  great 
multitude     about     them,     and    the    scribes    questioning 

15  with  them.  And  straightway  all  the  people,  when  they 
beheld   him,  were  greatly  amazed',  and   running   to    him 

16  saluted     him.       And     he     asked     the     scribes,      What 

17  question  ye  with  them?  And  one  of  the  multitude 
answered  and  said,   Master,  I  have  brought  unto  thee  my 

18  son,  which  hath  a  dumb  spirit ;  and  wheresoever  he 
taketh  him,  he  teareth  him  :  and  he  foameth,  and  gnasheth 
with  his  teeth,  and  pineth  away  :  and  I  spake  to  thy  disciples 

19  that  they  should  cast  him  out  ;  and  they  could  not.  He 
answereth  him,  and  saith,  O  faithless  generation,  how 
long  shall  I  be  with  you  ?  how  long  shall  I  suffer  you  ? 

20  bring  him  unto  me.  And  they  brought  him  unto  him  : 
and  when   he  saw  him,  straightway  the  spirit   tare  him  ; 

21  and  he  fell  on  the  ground,  and  wallowed  foaming.  And 
he  asked  his  father.   How  long  is  it  ago  since  this  came 


St.   Mark  ix.  14-29  141 

22  unto  him  ?  And  he  said,  Of  a  child.  And  ofttimes  it  hath 
cast  him  into  the  fire,  and  into  the  waters,  to  destroy  him  : 
but  if  thou  canst  do  any  thing,  have  compassion  on  us,  and 

23  help  us.     Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  canst  believe,  all 

24  things  are  possible  to  him  that  believeth.  And  straight- 
way the  father  of  the  child  cried  out,  and  said  with  tears, 

25  Lord,  I  believe  ;  help  thou  mine  unbelief.  When  Jesus 
saw  that  the  people  came  running  together,  he  rebuked 
the  foul  spirit,  saying  unto  him,  Thou  dumb  and  deaf 
spirit,  I  charge  thee,  come  out  of  him,  and  enter  no  more 

26  into  him.  And  the  spirit  cried,  and  rent  him  sore,  and 
came   out   of  him  :   and  he   was  as  one  dead  ;'  insomuch 

27  that  many  said,  He  is  dead.     But  Jesus  took  him  by  the 

28  hand,  and  lifted  him  up  ;  and  he  arose.  And  when  he 
was    come    into    the    house,    his     disciples    asked    him 

29  privately,  Why  could  not  we  cast  him  out  ?  And  he 
said  unto  them,  This  kind  can  come  forth  by  nothing,  but 
by  prayer  and  fasting. 

The  contrast  between  the  glories  of  the 
mountain  top  and  the  scene  of  human  suffering  and 
distress  to  which  Jesus  and  the  three  return  is  very 
striking.  u  Rafael's  great  picture  of  the  Transfigura- 
tion translates  into  form  and  colour  the  art  which 
is  already  present  in  this  narrative"  (Menzies). 
Cf.  the  return  of  Moses  from  Sinai  (Ex.  xxxii.).  Each 
of  the  Synoptics  gives  the  story  in  this  connection  : 
Mark's  version  is  much  the  fullest  and  most 
graphic. 

14.  Even  in  these  remote  parts  the  news  that 
Jesus  was  in  the  neighbourhood  had  spread  and 
had  attracted  the  usual  multitude.  Just  now  the 
centre  of  interest  was  the  distressed  father,  who 
had  brought  his  son  to  Jesus  (ver.  17);  and,  finding 
Him  absent,  in  the  urgency  of  the  case  had 
appealed  to  the  nine  disciples.     The   failure  of 


142  Westminster  New  Testament 

their  attempted  cure  gave  the  watching   scribes 
their  opportunity. 

15.  The  amazement  and  eager  welcome  are 
sufficiently  explained  by  the  unlooked-for  appear- 
ance of  Jesus  at  this  critical  moment.  There  is 
no  parallel  to  the  shining  of  Moses'  face  (Ex. 
xxxiv.  30)  :  the  secret  of  the  Transfiguration  was  to 
be  hidden  from  all  men  (ver.  9). 

16.  the  scribes.  R.V.,  "them."  The  question 
is  addressed  to  the  crowd  of  ver.  15,  "What  is  all 
this  about,  between  you  and  my  disciples  ?  " 

17.  hath  a  dumb  spirit.  Matthew  (R.V.),  "is 
epileptic"  (lit.  moonstruck,  "lunatic"  (A.V.),  this 
malady  being  anciently  attributed  to  the  baleful 
influence  of  the  moon). 

18.  A  graphic  description  (other  details  in 
Matthew  and  Luke)  of  epilepsy,  attributed  in 
popular  belief  to  possession  by  a  demon ;  accom- 
panied in  this  case  by  loss  of  speech  and  hearing 
(ver.  25).     See  notes  on  i.  23,  v.  15. 

teareth.  R.V.,  "dasheth  him  down,"  the 
instant  fall  of  an  epileptic  seizure. 

19.  R.V.,  "And  he  answereth  them."  All  who 
surround  Him  are  included  in  this  outcry  against 
the  unbelief  of  His  age,  but  rather  as  factors  in  a 
general  situation  than  as  severally  culpable.  The 
scribes  seem  to  be  ignored,  the  disciples  would  not 
be  publicly  rebuked,  and  their  failure  is  not  in  the 
sequel  (ver.  29)  put  down  to  lack  of  faith  (other- 
wise in  Matthew),  there  is  no  hint  that  the  crowd 
were  influenced  by  an  unbelieving  curiosity,  and 
the  father  at  least  had  shown  a  faith  which  Jesus 
takes  pains  to  strengthen.  It  would  rather  seem 
that  the  return  to  this  typical  scene  of  suffering 
and  dispute,  with  its  claim  upon  Him,  was  for  the 


St.   Mark  ix.  14-29  i43 

moment  more  than  He  could  bear.  His  thoughts 
just  now  were  full  of  other  matters  than  healing 
sick  people  and  answering  the  cavils  of  the  scribes. 
The  shallowness,  the  noise,  the  fruitlessness  of  it 
all  jarred  upon  feelings  strained  by  high  resolve 
and  the  lonely  vision.  Oh  to  be  done  with  it, 
and  accomplish  the  work  for  which  He  was  sent ! 
A  similar  cry  from  an  overburdened  heart  is 
recorded  by  Luke  (xii.  49,  50).  What  Divine 
compassion,  therefore,  is  revealed  in  the  words 
in  which,  with  instant  suppression  of  self,  He 
answers  the  father's  appeal,  bring  him  unto 
me. 

20.  tare.     Rather,  w  violently  convulsed." 

21.  The  sympathetic  questions  would  raise  the 
man's  hopes  and  help  him  to  believe. 

23.  The  A.V.  misses  the  point  of  this  re- 
joinder. Jesus  catches  up  the  father's  word,  "If 
thou  canst  do  anything,"  and  exclaims,  If 
thou  canst !  The  question  is  not  whether 
Jesus  can  but  whether  he  can :  All  things 
are  possible  to  him  that  believeth.  A  saying 
notable  for  the  unreserve  with  which  it  affirms 
the  boundless  possibilities  of  faith  ;  interpretation 
needs  to  beware  lest,  from  lack  of  faith,  it  sub- 
stitutes its  own  measure  for  that  of  the  Master : 
cf.  xi.  23,  24. 

24.  R.V.  omits  with  tears  and  Lord. 

help  thou  mine  unbelief.  Commonly  inter- 
preted (as  in  Dr.  Weymouth's  version), 
"  Strengthen  my  weak  faith "  ;  but  perhaps  the 
"help"  rather  repeats  the  "help"  of  ver.  22,  and 
looks,  not  directly  to  the  strengthening  of  faith, 
but  to  the  rescue  of  the  boy  notwithstanding  any 
defects  of  faith.     Though  the  father  feels  his  are 


144  Westminster  New  Testament 

but  "  lame  hands  of  faith/'  he  stretches  them  out 
to  Jesus,  and  not  in  vain. 

25.  Apparently  (though  it  has  not  been  stated) 
Jesus  had  retired  to  some  little  distance  from  the 
crowd  (cf.  vii.  33,  viii.  23),  which  now  loses  patience 
and  comes  running  up  in  hope  of  seeing  a  miracle. 
At  the  sight  Jesus  cuts  short  His  talk  with  the 
father,  and  with  quick,  stern  command  bids  the 
unclean  spirit  come  out  of  the  boy  and  enter 
no  more  into  him.  The  latter  command  is 
prompted  by  the  recurrent  nature  of  the  seizures. 
Cf.  i.  25,  26. 

27.  A  gracious  touch:  cf.  i.  31,  v.  41.  Luke 
notes  that  He"  gave  him  back  to  his  father." 

28.  The  question  suggests  that  in  similar  cases 
the  disciples  had  successfully  used  the  authority 
committed  to  them  (vi.  7).  Why  this  humiliating 
failure  ? 

29-  This  kind.  Either  "this  kind  of  thing," 
viz.  unclean  spirits  in  general ;  or  "  this  kind 
of  demon,"  unclean  spirits  of  exceptional  power  and 
malignity.  If  the  former,  the  disciples  had  been 
betrayed  by  their  successes  into  a  self-confidence 
which  forgot  that  "miracles  of  any  kind  are 
possible  only  to  him  who  prays "  ;  if  the  latter, 
they  had  made  the  mistake  of  neglecting  the 
special  preparation  needful  for  a  special  case.  Cf. 
Peter's  disclaimer  (Acts  iii.  12). 

by  prayer.  Cf.  the  example  of  Jesus,  i.  35  n. 
The  reference  is  not  merely  to  the  act  but  to  the 
discipline  of  prayer,  the  habitual  reliance  upon  God 
which  opens  up  and  keeps  clear  the  channels  for 
His  power  (cf.  n.  on  xiv.  38). 

The  R.V.  omits  and  fasting.  The  addition 
emphasises,    what    is    already    involved    in    "  by 


St.  Mark  ix.  30-32  145 

prayer/'  the  need  of  moral  discipline  (not  of 
religious  ritual,  cf.  ii.  18-20)  in  order  to  effective 
action. 

This  verse  appears  also  in  A.V.  of  Matt.  xvii.  21  : 
R.V.  rightly  omits.  Matthew  attributes  the  cause  of 
failure  to  the  "little  faith"  of  the  disciples,  adding 
the  saying  found  in  Mark  at  xi.  23. 


Mark  ix.  30-32 ;  cf.  Matt.  xvii.  22,  23  =  Luke  ix.  43-45. 
SECOND  PREDICTION  OF  THE  PASSION. 

30  And  they  departed  thence,  and  passed  through  Galilee  ; 

31  and  he  would  not  that  any  man  should  know  it.  For  he 
taught  his  disciples,  and  said  unto  them,  The  Son  of  man 
is  delivered  into  the  hands  of  men,  and  they  shall  kill  him  ; 

32  and  after  that  he  is  killed,  he  shall  rise  the  third  day.  But 
they  understood  not  that  saying,  and  were  afraid  to  ask 
him. 

Cf.  viii.  31,  x.  33.  The  Transfiguration,  like  the 
great  confession  of  viii.  29,  makes  it  necessary  to 
familiarise  the  disciples  with  the  idea  of  His  death. 
A  new  feature  is  the  reference  to  His  being 
"delivered  up,"  a  word  specially  (iii.  19)  though 
not  exclusively  (i.  14,  xiii.  9,  etc.)  associated  with 
the  betrayal  by  Judas.  The  third  prediction  (x.  33, 
34)  is  still  more  precise  in  its  details. 

30.  From  Caesarea  Philippi  along  the  west  bank 
of  the  Jordan  to  Capernaum  (ver.  33),  a  secret 
journey  through  the  scenes  of  His  earlier  ministry, 
unmarked  by  any  public  incident  because  hence- 
forth His  chief  concern  was  for  the  instruction  of 
His  disciples. 

31.  Lit.  "  is  being  delivered  up."  The  beginning 
of  the  end  is  already  present. 

10 


146  Westminster  New  Testament 

32.  Why  were  the  disciples  wholly  unprepared 
for  the  death  and  resurrection  of  their  Lord  when 
these  events  happened  ?  Mark's  explanation  is 
that  the  first  prediction  was  received  with  in- 
dignant remonstrance,  the  second  with  lack  of 
understanding  and  reluctance  to  seek  enlighten- 
ment. On  the  third  occasion  he  says  nothing 
about  the  effect  on  the  disciples :  Luke  repeats 
the  failure  to  understand,  and  suggests  there  as 
he  does  here,  that  "  it  was  hid  from  them,"  as  if  by 
Divine  purpose. 


Mark  ix.  33-37 ;  cf.  Matt,  xviii.  1-5  =  Luke  ix.  46-48. 

WHO  IS  THE  GREATEST? 

3$  And  he  came  to  Capernaum  :  and  being  in  the  house  he 
asked  them,  What  was  it  that  ye  disputed  among  your- 

34  selves  by  the  way  ?  But  they  held  their  peace  :  for  by 
the  way  they  had  disputed  among  themselves,  who  should 

35  be  the  greatest.  And  he  sat  down,  and  called  the  twelve, 
and  saith  unto  them,  If  any  man  desire  to  be  first,  the 

36  same  shall  be  last  of  all,  and  servant  of  all.  And  he  took 
a  child,  and  set  him  in  the  midst  of  them  :  and  when  he 

37  had  taken  him  in  his  arms,  he  said  unto  them,  Whoso- 
ever shall  receive  one  of  such  children  in  my  name,  receiveth 
me  :  and  whosoever  shall  receive  me,  receiveth  not  me, 
but  him  that  sent  me. 

A  last  brief  sojourn  in  Capernaum,  probably  in 
the  home  of  Peter  (see  Matt.  xvii.  24-27),  before 
the  departure  from  Jerusalem.  It  was  rendered 
memorable  to  the  disciples  by  a  rebuke  and  by 
an  object-lesson  on  the  meaning  of  true  greatness. 
Each   Synoptist  gives  his   own   version,   and    the 


St.  Mark  ix.  33-37  147 

differences  make  it  difficult  to  trace  the  exact 
lines  of  the  discourse ;  but  the  main  teaching 
stands  out  clear  in  its  significance  for  the  disciples 
and  for  all  who  would  know  and  imitate  the  mind 
of  the  Master. 

33,  34.  This  setting  to  the  discourse  is  given 
by  Mark  alone.  It  is  a  lifelike  picture  —  the 
little  company  on  their  way  home,  Jesus  in  front, 
not  seeming  to  heed  the  voices  raised  behind  Him 
in  heated  dispute ;  then  in  the  house  the  quiet 
searching  question  and  the  ashamed  silence. 

greatest.  Matthew  adds,  *  in  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,"  and  from  the  later  petition  of  James  and 
John  (x.  37)  we  may  suppose  that  the  disciples' 
thoughts,  spite  of  repeated  warnings,  were  still 
busy  with  the  glories  of  the  Messiah's  reign  and 
of  their  own  share  in  them. 

35.  The  lesson  comes  first,  the  illustration 
follows :  in  Matthew  and  Luke  this  order  is 
reversed. 

servant.  R.V.,  "minister."  The  word  is 
specially  used  of  serving  at  table  (Luke  xxii.  27, 
etc.),  and  so  perhaps  here. 

This  saying  occurs  in  other  contexts  (x.  43,  44  ; 
Matt.  xx.  26,  27,  xxiii.  11  ;  Luke  xxii.  26),  which 
make  it  clear  that  its  intention  is  not  to  make 
service  the  penalty  of  wishing  to  be  great,  but  to 
point  out  the  one  way  by  which  that  wish  may  be 
attained.  Luke  catches  its  spirit  here  in  his 
version,  "  for  he  that  is  least  among  you  all,  the 
same  is  great." 

36.  R.V.,  "a  little  child."  Only  Mark  preserves 
the  beautiful  human  touch,  taking  him  in  his 
arms,  both  here  and  at  x.  16. 

37.  It   is   important    here    to   let    Mark   speak 


148  Westminster  New  Testament 

for  himself.  Matthew  records  three  lessons  drawn 
from  this  little  child,  Mark  (and  Luke)  one  only. 
Whatever  Jesus  may  have  said  on  other  occasions 
about  the  beautiful  qualities  of  childhood,  as  type 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  and  pattern  for  His 
disciples,  these  are  hardly  in  question  just  now. 
He  took  the  little  child  in  His  arms  because  it 
was  a  little  child,  weak  and  dependent,  and  there- 
fore claiming  and  attracting  protection  and  love 
from  the  strong.  Its  insignificance  and  helpless- 
ness is  precisely  its  worth  for  service :  to  receive 
one  such  little  child,  to  stoop  to  this  lowly  min- 
istry and  yet  not  to  be  conscious  of  stooping  but 
rather  of  rising  to  the  height  of  for  his  name's 
sake,  is  to  receive  Christ  himself.  That  is  the 
Master's  way  of  greatness,  and  it  is  simply  set  in 
contrast  with  the  disciples'  strife  for  pre-eminence: 
to  serve  the  child  is  to  serve  God.  Matthew  gives 
two  other  sayings  concerning  likeness  to  the  child  : 
we  shall  find  the  counterpart  to  these  at  x.  14,  15. 
In  the  development  of  the  discourse  both  here 
and  in  Matthew  the  little  child  becomes  the  type 
of  the  weak  disciple  and  his  claim  for  consideration 
and  help. 

ill  my  name.  "Not  from  vague  beneficence, 
but  because  the  action  is  one  which  the  disciple 
feels  his  connection  with  Christ  to  require  of  him  " 
(Menzies). 

him  that  sent  me.  A  thought  which  appears 
in  Mark  only  here  and  xii.  6 :  very  frequent  in 
the  Fourth  Gospel. 


St.   Mark  ix.  38-50  i49 

Mark  ix.  38-50 ;  cf.  Luke  ix.  49,  50 ;  Matt,  xviii.  6-35. 
EXCLUSIVENESS  AND  SELF-DISCIPLINE. 

38  And  John  answered  him,  saying,  Master,  we  saw  one 
casting  out  devils  in  thy  name,  and  he  followeth  not  us : 

39  and  we  forbade  him,  because  he  followeth  not  us.  But 
Jesus  said,  Forbid  him  not :  for  there  is  no  man  which 
shall  do  a  miracle  in   my  name,  that   can  lightly  speak 

40  evil  of  me.     For  he  that  is  not  against  us  is  on  our  part. 

41  For  whosoever  shall  give  you  a  cup  of  water  to  drink  in 
my  name,  because  ye  belong  to  Christ,  verily  I  say  unto 

42  you,  he  shall  not  lose  his  reward.  And  whosoever  shall 
offend  one  of  these  little  ones  that  believe  in  me,  it  is 
better  for  him  that  a  millstone  were  hanged  about  his  neck, 

43  and  he  were  cast  into  the  sea.  And  if  thy  hand  offend 
thee,  cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into  life 
maimed,  than  having  two  hands  to  go  into  hell,  into  the 

44  fire  that  never   shall    be   quenched :    where   their   worm 

45  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And  if  thy  foot 
offend  thee,  cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  halt 
into  life,  than  having  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  hell,  into  the 

46  fire   that   never   shall   be   quenched :    where   their   worm 

47  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And  if  thine  eye 
offend  thee,  pluck  it  out :  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God  with  one  eye,  than  having  two  eyes 

48  to  be  cast  into  hell  fire  :  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and 

49  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  For  every  one  shall  be  salted 
with   fire,   and  every  sacrifice   shall  be  salted  with   salt. 

50  Salt  is  good  :  but  if  the  salt  have  lost  his  saltness,  where- 
with will  ye  season  it  ?  Have  salt  in  yourselves,  and  have 
peace  one  with  another. 

The  incident  of  vers.  38-40  is  omitted  by 
Matthew,  and  in  Luke  ends  this  section  of  the  teach- 
ing. As  placed  by  Mark  it  seems  to  break  the 
connection:  ver.  42  links  on  naturally  to  ver.  37 


i5o  Westminster  New  Testament 

(so  in  Matt,  xviii.  5,  6).  John's  intervention  is 
not  irrelevant  to  what  has  gone  before,  for  the 
veto  laid  by  the  disciples  on  an  outsider  may  have 
been  due  to  the  spirit  of  self-assertion  just 
rebuked ;  but  the  connection  is  not  very  obvious, 
and  may  in  part  be  suggested  by  the  recurring 
phrase,  "in  my  name." 

38.  The  incident  had  occurred  on  some  occasion 
when  Jesus  was  not  with  the  disciples.  Knowing 
how  their  own  power  against  the  demons  was 
dependent  upon  Jesus  (vi.  14  n.),  they  may  well 
have  thought  that  one  who  successfully  used  His 
name  in  his  exorcisms  should  have  acknowledged 
Plim  and  joined  their  company.  So  he  should, 
for  his  own  sake  and  for  Christ's  sake :  the 
disciples  had  a  just  claim  upon  him,  as  the  Church 
has  a  just  claim  on  those  who  sympathise  yet  hold 
themselves  aloof.  The  mistake  they  made  was  to 
oppose  his  work,  with  such  confidence  that  they 
were  doing  what  was  incumbent  upon  professed 
disciples  of  Jesus,  that  they  had  not  thought  it 
necessary  at  the  time  to  tell  Him  what  they  had 
done.  Now  they  are  beginning  to  doubt,  and 
Jesus  teaches  them  a  more  excellent  way. 

39.  miracle.  R.V.,"  mighty  work  "  (vi.  2,  5, 14). 
Any  question  of  right,  is  settled  in  the  very  fact 
that  the  works  of  power  are  performed.  And 
there  is  this  much  gain,  that  the  man  who  has  so 
experienced  the  power  of  Christ's  name  "  will  not 
be  able  quickly  "  (R.V.)  to  join  the  ranks  of  His 
traducers. 

40.  The  disciples  should  discern  and  welcome 
what  unites  under  all  that  separates :  loyalty  to 
their  Master  does  not  mean  exclusiveness,  but  a 
comprehensiveness  which  is  bold  to  claim  for  Him 


St.  Mark  ix.  38-50  151 

whatever  work  bears  the  stamp  of  His  spirit  and 
His  power,  though  the  worker  disclaim  their 
fellowship. 

(In  another  connection  Matthew  (xii.  30)  and  Luke 
(xi.  23)  give  a  saying  which,  if'  applied  to  the  same 
circumstances,  would  contradict  this  declaration  that 
neutrality  is  not  necessarily  hostility :  "He  that  is 
not  with  me  is  against  me."  But  these  words  are 
applied  to  circumstances  of  avowed  and  bitter 
hostility  to  Jesus,  when  to  be  indifferent  is  to 
side  with  His  foes.  Interpretation  must  always 
take  heed  to  context.) 

41.  in  my  name.  R.V.  omits,  reading  simply 
li  because  ye  are  Christ's."  The  recognition  of 
those  not  committed  to  discipleship  is  further 
widened  to  the  smallest  service  rendered  out  of 
general  goodwill  to  His  cause.  Matthew  places 
this  saying  in  another  context  (x.  42). 

42.  The  dropped  thread  of  ver.  37  is  resumed, 
but  the  " little  child"  is  now  the  weak  and  lowly 
disciple.  This  bounden  duty  of  considerateness 
towards  the  weak  in  faith  and  tender  in  con- 
science is  finely  illustrated  by  the  Apostle  who 
"  brought  himself  into  bondage  to  all,  that  he  might 
gain  the  more  "  :  see  Rom.  xiv.  ;  1  Cor.  viii.,  ix.  ; 
2  Cor.  xi.  29. 

offend.    R.V., " cause  to  stumble."  See  n.  on  vi.  3. 

43.  The  same  keynote,  "cause  to  stumble,"  but 
change  of  theme.  The  peril  now  is  to  oneself. 
Life  has  interests  and  attractions,  innocent  in 
themselves  yet  hazardous  to  discipleship.  Better 
give  them  up,  with  pain  of  self-sacrifice  and  sense 
of  a  crippled  life,  than  incur  the  risk  of  their 
mastery.  Asceticism  may  be  necessary,  not  for 
virtue's  sake  but  in   self-defence.     The  language, 


152  Westminster  New  Testament 

of  course,  is  symbolic  throughout,  and  contains 
no  positive  teaching  of  Jesus  as  to  the  future 
state. 

hell.  Lit.  "  Gehenna/'  i.e.  Valley  of  Hinnom, 
probably  west  and  south  of  Jerusalem,  the  scene 
of  the  fiery  worship  of  Moloch  (2  Chron.  xxviii. 
3,  xxxiii.  6),  and  consequently  defiled  by  Josiah 
(2  Kings  xxiii.  10)  ;  it  was  held  in  such  abhorrence 
that  in  later  Jewish  thought  it  became  the  type  of 
a  place  of  future  and  eternal  punishment.  The 
assertion  that  it  was  utilised  for  the  refuse  of 
the  city,  with  fires  kept  burning  to  consume  the 
rubbish  and  prevent  infection,  lacks  evidence.  For 
the  metaphor  of  the  unquenchable  fire  and 
the  undying  worm  (ver.  48),  cf.  Isa.  lxvi.  24. 
Jesus  clothes  His  warning  of  a  real  disaster  in 
the  language  of  His  day  ;  for  His  other  references 
to  Gehenna  see  Matt.  v.  22,  29,  30,  x.  28,  xxiii. 
15,  33. 

R.V.  omits  vers.  44,  46 :  see  ver.  48. 

49.  A  saying  found  in  Mark  only,  and  "con- 
fessedly one  of  the  most  difficult  passages  to 
interpret  in  the  N.T."  (Gould).  The  second  clause 
refers  to  the  command  of  Lev.  ii.  13,  where  the 
salt  to  be  added  to  every  oblation  represents, 
according  to  the  Eastern  symbolism  of  "  eating  of 
a  man's  salt,"  the  "salt  of  the  covenant"  (cf. 
Num.  xviii.  19  ;  2  Chron.  xiii.  5),  pledge  of  amity 
between  God  and  His  people.  Some  interpreters 
suppose  a  transference  of  this  idea  to  the  "  fire  " 
of  the  Holy  Spirit  (Matt.  iii.  11),  by  which  the 
disciple  of  Christ  is  "salted"  into  the  new 
covenant,  purified  and  preserved  (so  Swete) ;  in 
case  of  apostasy  the  covenant  is  still  fulfilled  upon 
him  by  the  penal   fires   of  Gehenna  (so  Meyer). 


St.  Mark  ix.  38-50  153 

But  this  explanation  is  obscure  in  itself,  and  is 
rendered  nugatory  by  the  fact  that  the  clause  in 
question  is  almost   certainly  an  interpolation.     In 

R.V.  the  verse  is  reduced  to  For  every  one  shall 

be  salted  with  fire,  and  the  problem  is  to  in- 
terpret this  saying  in  its  own  context,  which,  as  the 
final  injunction  "  be  at  peace  among  yourselves" 
returns  to  the  starting-point  of  the  quarrel  (ver.  34), 
is  evidently  intended  to  be  continuous.  The  word 
fire,  then,  is  suggested  by  what  precedes  ;  it  is  the 
fire  of  pain  ;  the  word  salted  is  explained  by  what 
follows :  salt  is  good,  its  application  purines  and 
preserves.  And  Jesus  seems  to  bring  these  two 
conflicting  notions  together.  In  the  moral  making 
of  a  man  he  must  suffer  pain,  self-inflicted  or  inflicted 
upon  him,  sharp  and  fierce  as  the  pain  of  fire ;  but 
the  fire  acts  as  the  salt  of  God. 

50.  Elsewhere  (Matt.  v.  13;  Luke  xiv.  34)  the 
emphasis  of  this  saying  lies  on  the  disciples'  fitness 
for  service  ;  they  are  "  the  salt  of  the  earth  "  :  here 
it  looks  still  more  intimately  to  character.  Have 
salt  in  yourselves.  You  have  powers,  if  you 
will  use  them,  of  self-knowledge,  self-control,  self- 
discipline  ;  purify  yourselves,  if  need  be  through 
the  fires  of  self-renunciation,  lest  the  fires  of  God's 
discipline  come  upon  you.  For  if  the  salt  have 
lost  its  saltness,  if  through  misuse  or  lack  of 
use  these  powers  have  become  impotencies,  how 
can  they  be  restored  and  the  moral  life  saved  from 
corruption  ? 

have  peace.  R.V.,  "be  at  peace."  A  final 
reference  to  the  dispute  of  ver.  34.  To  let  self- 
seeking  and  jealousy  have  sway  is  fatal  to  character 
and  influence. 


i54  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  x.  1-12 ;  cf.  Matt.  xix.  1-12. 

DIVORCE. 

And  he  rose  from  thence,  and  corneth  into  the  coasts  of 
Judsea  by  the  farther  side  of  Jordan :  and  the  people  resort 
unto  him   again  ;   and,  as  he  was  wont,  he  taught  them 

2  again.     And  the  Pharisees  came  to  him,  and  asked  him, 
Is  it  lawful  for  a  man  to  put  away  his  wife  ?  tempting  him. 

3  And  he  answered  and  said  unto  them,  What  did  Moses 

4  command  you?    And  they  said,  Moses  suffered  to  write 

5  a  bill  of  divorcement,  and  to  put  her  away.     And  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  them,  For  the  hardness  of  your 

6  heart  he  wrote  you  this  precept.     But  from  the  beginning 

7  of  the  creation  God  made   them   male  and  female.     For 
this  cause  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  mother,  and 

8  cleave  to  his  wife  ;   and  they  twain  shall  be   one  flesh  : 

9  so  then  they  are  no  more   twain,  but  one  flesh.     What 
therefore  God  hath  joined  together,  let  not  man  put  asunder. 

10  And  in  the  house  his  disciples  asked  him  again  of  the  same 

11  matter.     And  he   saith  unto  them,  Whosoever  shall  put 
away  his  wife,  and   marry  another,  committeth  adultery 

12  against  her.     And  if  a  woman  shall  put  away  her  husband, 
and  be  married  to  another,  she  committeth  adultery. 

This  chapter  contains  six  incidents  of  the  journey 
to  Jerusalem,  of  which  the  first  is  the  question  of 
the  Pharisees  about  divorce.  Matthew  follows 
Mark,  except  that  he  adds  the  Parable  of  the 
Labourers  in  the  Vineyard ;  but  Luke  makes  a 
long  story  of  this  journey,  inserting  much  new 
matter.  Luke  ix.  51  is  parallel  to  Mark  x.  1  :  the 
next  point  of  contact  is  Luke  xviii.  15,  parallel  to 
Mark  x.  13. 

1.  R.V.,  "  cometh  into  the  borders  of  Judaea 
and  beyond  Jordan."     Jesus  breaks  new  ground  in 


St.   Mark  x.  1-12  155 

Peraea,  which  He  ultimately  leaves  for  Jerusalem 
by  way  of  Jericho  (ver.  46).  Again  the  scenes  of 
the  earlier  ministry,  intermittent  since  vi.  53-56, 
are  resumed. 

2.  The  question  so  put  clearly  hopes  for  a  pro- 
nouncement against  the  Law,  which  indubitably 
permitted  divorce.  Matthew's  addition,  *  for  every 
cause,"  points  to  the  division  between  the  Jewish 
schools  as  to  laxer  and  stricter  interpretation  of 
the  Law. 

3.  An  answer  suggesting  unexpected  and  un- 
welcome respect  for  the  Law. 

4.  The  appeal  is  to  Deut.  xxiv.  1,  which  does 
not  legalise  divorce,  but,  taking  the  custom  for 
granted,  regularises  it  in  the  interests  of  the 
wife. 

5.  Jesus  answers  Moses  by  Moses  (Gen.  i.  27, 
ii.  24),  the  regulating  precept,  accommodated  to 
the  existing  facts  of  human  society,  by  the  original 
Divine  institution  of  marriage,  which  contemplated 
a  spiritual  and  therefore  indissoluble  union. 

9.  An  inference  from  the  Scripture  facts  which 
plainly  abrogates  the  Law  permitting  divorce. 

10.  The  perplexing  teaching  leads  again  to  the 
situation  of  iv.  10,  vii.  17. 

11.  An  uncompromising  restatement  of  the 
position  already  assumed;  cf.  Luke  xvi.  18. 
Matthew  has  the  saying  twice  (v.  32,  and  in  this 
same  context  xix.  9),  in  both  cases  softened  down 
by  the  proviso  "  except  for  fornication." 

12.  A  case  not  contemplated  by  the  Law  at  all. 


156  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  x.  13-16  ;  cf.  Matt.  xix.  13-15  =  Luke  xviii.  15-17. 
JESUS  WELCOMES  LITTLE  CHILDREN. 

13  And  they  brought  young  children  to  him,  that  he  should 
touch  them  :  and  his  disciples  rebuked  those  that  brought 

14  them.  But  when  Jesus  saw  it,  he  was  much  displeased, 
and  said  unto  them,  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come  unto 
me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of 

15  God.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Whosoever  shall  not  receive 
the  kingdom  of  God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter 

16  therein.  And  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms,  put  his  hands 
upon  them,  and  blessed  them. 

Cf.  n.  on  ix.  37.  This  incident  shows  us  again 
the  tenderness  of  Jesus  towards  children,  with  new 
teaching  as  to  the  child-spirit  and  the  kingdom  of 
God. 

13.  little  children,  as  at  ix.  36.  Luke  says 
"  babes." 

touch.  See  i.  41,  iii.  10,  v.  27,  vi.  56,  viii.  22, 
and  cf.  ver.  16.  Matthew  has  "that  he  should 
lay  his  hands  on  them,  and  pray." 

rebuked.  In  concern  for  their  Master's  dignity 
and  comfort  (cf.  ver.  48). 

14.  much  displeased.  R.V.,  "moved  with  in- 
dignation." He  is  angry  that  they  should  not 
understand  better  the  worth  to  Him  of  the 
mothers'  appeal  and  of  the  children  themselves. 
Mark  only. 

of  Such.  I.e.,  "the  kingdom  belongs  to  such." 
In  little  children  Jesus  sees  the  very  marks  of 
the  kingdom — simplicity  and  reality,  dependence, 
receptivity,  trustfulness  ;  in  thrusting  the  children 
away  the  disciples  are  keeping  them  out  of  their 
own.     No  controversial  issues   should  restrict  the 


St.   Mark  x.  13-16  157 

application  of  the  words  "  of  such "  :  it  includes 
the  children  themselves ;  the  further  teaching  as 
to  the  childlike  is  given  in  the  next  verse. 

15.  Verily  I  say  unto  you.  The  formula 
(thirteen  times  in  Mark)  emphasises  the  importance 
of  the  word  to  be  spoken. 

receive  the  kingdom.  The  phrase  is  unique 
and  notable.  "  Only  one  who  does  not  intentionally 
put  away  from  him  and  slight  this  kingdom,  and 
who  does  not  think  that  he  can  and  must  first 
earn  it  by  his  own  doings,  but  receives  it  like  a 
child,  can  participate  in  its  blessings "  (Wendt). 
The  teaching  is  immediately  illustrated  in  the 
story  of  the  rich  young  ruler  (vers.  1 7-22). 

as  a  little  child.  This  "  unpretentious  recep- 
tivity" (Wendt)  is  especially  characteristic  of  the 
child :  a  sympathetic  study  of  children  will  unfold 
the  elements  of  worth  and  charm  in  the  child's 
nature  better  than  any  attempted  analysis. 
"  According  to  Jesus,  a  well-conditioned  child 
illustrates  better  than  anything  else  on  earth  the 
distinctive  features  of  Christian  character.  Be- 
cause he  does  not  assert  nor  aggrandise  himself. 
.  .  .  Because  he  can  imagine,  and  has  the  key  of 
another  world,  entering  in  through  the  ivory  gate 
and  living  amid  the  things  unseen  and  eternal. 
The  new  society  of  Jesus  was  a  magnificent 
imagination,  and  he  who  entered  it  must  lay  aside 
the  world-standards  and  ideals  of  character,  and 
become  as  a  little  child  "  (Dr.  John  Watson). 

16.  A  Christlike  interpretation  of  the  request 
that  He  would  "  touch  "  them. 


158  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  x.  17-31 ;  cf.  Matt.  xix.  16-30= Luke  xviii.  18-30. 
THE  RICH  YOUNG  RULER. 

17  And  when  he  was  gone  forth  into  the  way,  there  came 
one  running,  and  kneeled  to  him,  and  asked  him,  Good 
Master,  what  shall  I  do  that  I  may  inherit  eternal  life? 

18  And  Jesus  said   unto   him,  Why  callest   thou   me  good? 

19  there  is  none  good  but  one,  that  is,  God.  Thou  knowest 
the  commandments,  Do  not  commit  adultery,  Do  not 
kill,  Do  not  steal,  Do  not  bear  false  witness,  Defraud  not, 

20  Honour  thy  father  and  mother.  And  he  answered  and 
said  unto  him,  Master,  all  these  have  I  observed  from  my 

21  youth.  Then  Jesus  beholding  him  loved  him,  and 
said  unto  him,  One  thing  thou  lackest :  go  thy  way,  sell 
whatsoever  thou  hast,  and  give  to  the  poor,  and  thou 
shalt  have  treasure  in  heaven  :    and   come,  take  up  the 

22  cross,  and  follow  me.  And  he  was  sad  at  that  saying, 
and   went  away  grieved ;   for   he  had  great  possessions. 

23  And  Jesus  looked  round  about,  and  saith  unto  his  disciples, 
How  hardly  shall   they  that  have  riches  enter  into   the 

24  kingdom  of  God  !  And  the  disciples  were  astonished  at 
his  words.  But  Jesus  answereth  again,  and  saith  unto 
them,  Children,   how  hard   is  it  for   them  that  trust  in 

25  riches  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God  !  It  is  easier  for 
a  camel  to  go  through  the  eye  of  a  needle,  than  for  a  rich 

26  man  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  they  were 
astonished  out  of  measure,  saying  among  themselves,  Who 

27  then  can  be  saved?  And  Jesus  looking  upon  them  saith,  With 
men  it  is  impossible,  but  not  with  God  :  for  with  God  all 

28  things  are  possible.    Then  Peter  began  to  say  unto  him,  Lo, 

29  we  have  left  all,  and  have  followed  thee.  And  Jesus  answered 
and  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  There  is  no  man  that  hath 
left  house,  or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother, 
or  wife,   or   children,   or   lands,   for    my  sake,   and   the 

30  gospel's,  but  he  shall  receive  an  hundredfold  now  in  this 


St.   Mark  x.  17-31  159 

time,  houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  and  mothers,  and 
children,  and  lands,  with  persecutions ;  and  in  the  world 
31  to  come  eternal  life.     But  many  that  are  first  shall  be  last ; 
and  the  last  first. 

17.  The  running  and  kneeled  form  one  of 
Mark's  vivid  pictures.  Matthew  says  that  he  was 
a  "young  man,"  Luke  that  he  was  a  *  ruler/'  i.e.  a 
man  of  position  and  influence. 

Good  Master  (lit.  "  Teacher  ").  To  say  (with 
Dalman)  that  the  epithet  means,  not  morally  good, 
but  kind,  that  by  usage  it  was  only  applied  to  God, 
and  that  therefore  it  was  "  mere  insolent  flattery," 
is  an  interpretation  which  lacks  sufficient  evidence 
and  which  seems  to  miss  the  intention  of  our  Lord's 
rejoinder.  The  address  is  sincere  and  natural:  it 
recognises  in  Jesus  the  quality  of  attractive  moral 
goodness  as  distinguished  from  mere  rectitude  (cf. 
Rom.  v.  7),  and  in  some  dim  way  realises  that  there 
is  the  secret  of  the  life  which  is  craved  for.  It  is 
this  secret  which  the  sequel  unfolds. 

eternal  life.  A  Jewish  expression  for  the 
summum  bonum  ;  share  in  the  blessings  of  Messiah's 
kingdom,  equivalent  to  the  "life  "  of  ix.  43,  45. 

18.  Jesus  challenges  the  title,  not  to  disclaim  it 
but  to  cany  it  up  to  its  Source.  There  is  only  one 
Fountain  of  all  goodness,  and  therefore  of  all  life, 
the  living  God,  Giver  of  life  to  men  through 
channels  of  trust  and  fellowship.  The  question  is 
not  a  repulse  but  an  invitation.  If  this  man  can 
be  led  to  see  why  he  instinctively  and  rightly 
calls  Jesus  "good,"  and  to  translate  knowledge 
into  action,  he  has  found  God,  whom  to  know  is 
life  eternal.  (In  the  R.V.  of  Matthew  the  man  asks, 
"  What  good  thing  shall  I  do  ? "  and  is  answered, 


160  Westminster  New  Testament 

"  Why  askest  thou  me  concerning  that  which  is 
good  ?  One  there  is  who  is  good."  This  version 
only  emphasises  the  interpretation  just  suggested. 
Goodness  belongs  not  to  deeds  but  to  a  Person ; 
it  is  not  to  be  won,  but  is  imparted  through 
fellowship  with  Him  who  is  the  Source  and  Giver 
of  all  good.) 

19-  From  the  hard  saying  of  ver.  18  the  man  is 
recalled  to  familiar  ground.  Eternal  life  ?  Well, 
is  it  not  written,  "  Ye  shall  keep  my  statutes  and 
my  judgments :  which  if  a  man  do,  he  shall  live  in 
them  "  ?  (Lev.  xviii.  5  ;  cf.  Gal.  iii.  12).  Has  that  way 
been  tried  ?  The  commandments  cited  are  those 
of  the  second  table  of  the  Decalogue  with  the 
omission  of  the  tenth,  which  perhaps  is  represented 
by  the  precept,  specially  pertinent  to  a  rich  man, 
"  Do  not  defraud  "  ;  cf.  Jas.  v.  4. 

20.  Yes,  that  way  has  been  tried,  and  leaves 
the  quest  still  unsatisfied.  "  What  lack  I  yet  ? " 
(Matthew). 

21.  He  must  lose  life  to  save  it,  renounce  self 
that  he  may  find  God,  cease  from  thinking  what 
he  must  do,  and  receive  the  kingdom  as  a  little 
child. 

Only  Mark  says  that  JeSUS  looked  upon  him 
and  loved  him.  Because  He  loved  him  He  called 
him  to  the  highest. 

22.  He  could  not  rise  to  the  height  of  the  issue 
he  himself  had  challenged ;  his  very  earnestness 
had  involved  him  in  a  great  refusal.  But  the 
story  is  left  unfinished,  and  though  he  went  away 
grieved  he  did  not  go  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
love  with  which  Jesus  had  regarded  his  eager 
quest  of  life.  "  Perhaps  there  was  more  hope  of 
him  than  if,  at  our  Lord's  word,  he  had  impulsively 


St.  Mark  x.  17-31  161 

surrendered  all  that  he  had"  (Latham,  Pastor 
Pastomm).  We  may  leave  it  where  Jesus  left  it, 
With  men  it  is  impossible,  but  not  with  God  : 
for  all  things  are  possible  with  God. 

23.  A  sorrowful  exclamation,  prompted  by  dis- 
appointment and  pity  for  the  departing  man. 
How  hardly  !  i.e.  with  what  difficulty  ! 

24.  Some  editors  (so  R.V.  marg.)  omit  the  words 
for  them  that  trust  in  riches.  The  saying  then 
becomes  an  extension  of  ver.  23  :  hard  for  any  man 
to  make  the  sacrifice  of  whatever  is  keeping  God 
out  of  his  life,  and  for  the  rich  man  all  but 
impossible  (ver.  25).  If  the  words  are  retained, 
there  is  a  limitation  to  ce  them  that  trust  in  riches  " 
of  what  had  just  been  said  of  "them  that  have 
riches." 

25.  Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  literalise 
this  saying  by  supposing  that  the  word  rendered 
Camel  really  means  "  rope,"  or  that  needle's  eye 
was  the  name  given  to  a  small  postern  gate  :  they 
are  not  successful,  and  show  some  lack  of  imagina- 
tion.    The  proverb  is  quite  in  Eastern  fashion. 

26.  Either  "If  not  the  rich  with  all  the 
advantages  which  wealth  confers,  then  who?" 
or  (if  the  shorter  reading  in  ver.  24  be  the  true 
one)  "  If  so  difficult  for  all,  then  who  ?  "  Perhaps 
the  disciples  understood,  what  is  undoubtedly 
true  and  pertinent  to  this  incident,  that  "attach- 
ment to  the  goods  of  this  world  exists  in  men  of 
every  condition ;  that  the  poor  man  will  have 
nearly  the  same  hesitation  in  leaving  his  hut  as 
the  rich  man  his  palace  "  (Loisy). 

27.  Jesus  lifts  the  possibility  of  "salvation" 
from  the  plane  of  human  resolve  and  endeavour 
into   a   region  where   God  works :  the   impossible 

ii 


162  Westminster  New  Testament 

becomes  possible  through  the  grace  of  God  and 
the  power  of  His  Spirit.  te  God  knows  well  how 
to  effect  miracles  of  conversion.  It  is  not  at  all  by 
following  one's  natural  inclinations  that  admission 
is  gained  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  by  resisting 
them  with  Divine  help  "  (Loisy). 

28.  So  far  as  Peter  can  see,  the  disciples  had 
fulfilled  the  conditions  of  entrance  into  the  king- 
dom :  it  was  natural  just  now  to  ask  for  some 
assurance  of  this.  In  Matthew  the  question  is 
explicit :  (t  What  then  shall  we  have  ?  " 

29.  Not  the  disciples  only  but  every  one  who 
has  made  sacrifice  for  Christ's  sake  shall  receive  his 
reward.  In  Matthew  this  is  preceded  by  a  special 
promise  to  the  disciples  (Matt.  xix.  28  ;  cf.  ver.  37 
below). 

30.  An  exceptional  promise  of  recompense  in 
this  life,  modified  by  the  addition  with  perse- 
cutions (Mark  only).  The  recompense  is  expressed 
symbolically  in  terms  of  the  things  abandoned ; 
possibly  there  is  some  reference  to  the  spiritual 
kinship  gained  by  the  breaking  of  natural  ties  in 
loyalty  to  the  gospel  (cf.  iii.  35,  and  note  the  joy 
of  the  early  Christian  fellowship,  Acts  ii.  44-47, 
iv.  32-35). 

31.  Jesus  is  not  afraid  to  speak  of  reward  for 
His  followers ;  but  to  reckon  on  it,  to  estimate 
one's  own  or  others'  share  in  it,  is  to  forget  that 
"  God  seeth  not  as  man  seeth."  Matthew  illus- 
trates the  saying  by  the  Parable  of  the  Labourers  in 
the  Vineyard  (Matt.  xx.  1-1 6)  ;  Luke  gives  it  in 
another  connection  (xiii.  30). 


St.   Mark  x.  32-34  163 

Mark  x.  32-34  ;  cf.  Matt.  xx.  17-19  =  Luke  xviii.  31-34. 
THIRD  PREDICTION  OF  THE  PASSION. 

32  And  they  were  in  the  way  going  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  and 
Jesus  went  before  them  :  and  they  were  amazed  ;  and  as 
they  followed,  they  were  afraid.  And  he  took  again  the 
twelve,  and  began  to  tell  them  what  things  should  happen 

33  unto  him,  saying,  Behold,  we  go  up  to  Jerusalem  ;  and 
the  Son  of  man  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  chief  priests, 
and  unto  the  scribes  ;  and  they  shall  condemn  him  to  death, 

34  and  shall  deliver  him  to  the  Gentiles :  and  they  shall 
mock  him,  and  shall  scourge  him,  and  shall  spit  upon  him, 
and  shall  kill  him  :  and  the  third  day  he  shall  rise  again. 

Cf.  viii.  31,  ix.  31.  The  new  features  are  the 
definite  connection  of  His  death  with  this  present 
journey  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  more  precise  details 
of  the  trial  and  condemnation.  This  very  explicit 
form  of  the  prediction  may  in  part  be  coloured  by 
the  after  fact. 

32.  Again  one  of  the  vivid  pictures  which  we 
owe  to  Mark  alone.  For  and  as  they  followed, 
R.V.  has  "and  they  that  followed"  :  Jesus  a  little 
in  front,  absorbed  and  unapproachable ;  then  the 
disciples,  awe-stricken  at  the  tension  of  a  new 
purpose  they  could  not  understand ;  then  a  larger 
company,  their  eagerness  to  follow  Jesus  now  chilled 
by  vague  foreboding  of  coming  disaster. 

S3,  the  Gentiles.  I.e.,  the  Roman  civil  authori- 
ties ;  cf.  xv.  1 . 


164  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  x.  35-45 ;  cf.  Matt.  xx.  20-28  (Luke  xxii.  24-27). 
THE  AMBITION  OF  JAMES  AND  JOHN. 

35  And  James  and  John,  the  sons  of  Zebedee,  come  unto  him, 
saying,  Master,  we  would  that  thou  shouldest  do  for  us 

36  whatsoever  we  shall    desire.     And  he  said    unto   them, 

37  What  would  ye  that  I  should  do  for  you  ?  They  said  unto 
him,  Grant  unto  us  that  we  may  sit,  one  on  thy  right  hand, 

38  and  the  other  on  thy  left  hand,  in  thy  glory.  But  Jesus 
said  unto  them,  Ye  know  not  what  ye  ask  :  can  ye  drink 
of  the   cup   that    I  drink   of?  and   be   baptized  with  the 

39  baptism  that  I  am  baptized  with?  And  they  said  unto 
him,  We  can.  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Ye  shall  indeed 
drink  of  the  cup   that  I  drink  of;  and  with  the  baptism 

40  that  I  am  baptized  withal  shall  ye  be  baptized  :  but  to  sit 
on  my  right  hand  and  on  my  left  hand  is  not  mine  to  give  ; 
but   it   shall   be   given  to  them  for  whom  it  is  prepared. 

41  And  when  the  ten  heard  it,  they  began  to  be  much  dis- 

42  pleased  with  James  and  John.  But  Jesus  called  them  to 
him,  and  saith  unto  them,  Ye  know  that  they  which  are 
accounted  to  rule  over  the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship  over 
them ;  and  their  great  ones  exercise  authority  upon  them. 

43  But  so  shall  it  not  be  among  you :  but  whosoever  will  be 

44  great  among  you,  shall  be  your  minister  :  and  whosoever 

45  of  you  will  be  the  chiefest,  shall  be  servant  of  all.  For 
even  the  Son  of  man  came  not  to  be  ministered  unto,  but 
to  minister,  and  to  give  his  life  a  ransom  for  many. 

The  third  prediction  of  the  Passion  is  followed, 
like  the  second,  by  a  story  of  ambition  and  jealousy 
within  the  Apostolic  company,  and  by  similar 
teaching  as  to  the  meaning  of  true  greatness  (cf. 
notes  on  ix.  33-37).  This  incident  is  especially 
memorable  for  the  saying  with  which  it  closes 
(ver.  45). 


St.  Mark  x.  35-45  165 

35.  The  request  they  have  in  mind  needs  a  little 
diplomacy  :  Jesus  insists  on  frankness. 

37.  See  n.  on  ver.  29.  James  and  John  seem 
to  take  literally  the  promise  of  the  twelve  thrones 
(Matt.  xix.  28  ;  cf.  also  the  figure  of  a  banquet. 
Matt.  viii.  1 1  ;  Mark  xiv.  25).  "  What  is  in  the 
mind  of  James  and  John  is  a  banquet  or  great 
court  function,  in  which  the  Messiah  is  the  prin- 
cipal figure  and  His  highest  ministers  sit  next  to 
Him.  For  these  seats  the  { sons  of  thunder '  are 
already  intriguing  "  (Menzies).  The  intrigue  would 
seem  to  be  specially  aimed  against  the  pre- 
eminence of  Peter.  In  Matthew  it  is  the  mother 
who  makes  the  request. 

38.  As  before  (ix.  34),  they  had  seized  upon  their 
Master's  words  as  to  the  coming  glory,  ignoring 
the  warnings  of  His  death. 

Clip.  A  Hebrew  figure  for  man's  portion  of  joy 
or  sorrow :  see  Ps.  xxiii.  5,  lxxv.  8  ;  Ezek.  xxiii.  33, 
etc.  ;  and  cf.  Mark  xiv.  36. 

baptism.  An  immersion  in  suffering:  cf.  Ps. 
xlii.  7,  lxix.  1,  2,  cxxiv.  4,  5  ;  and  cf.  Luke  xii.  50. 

39.  A  too  easy  assent,  soon  to  be  tried  and  found 
wanting  (xiv.  50).  Yet  Jesus  did  not  question  its 
sincerity,  and  Mark  wrote  with  the  knowledge 
that  one  at  least  of  the  two  brothers  had  already 
suffered  martyrdom  (Acts  xii.  2,  in  a.d.  44). 
According  to  one  tradition,  John  was  involved  in  a 
similar  fate  (Westminster  N.T.,  St.  John,  p.  13). 
If,  on  the  contrary,  he  lived  to  write  the  Apocalypse 
and  the  Fourth  Gospel,  dying  peacefully  in 
extreme  old  age,  he  had  yet  endured  the  martyr- 
dom of  banishment  to  Patmos  (a  "  long-drawn-out 
living  death,"  Ramsay),  "for  the  word  of  God  and 
the  testimony  of  Jesus  °  (Rev.  i.  9). 


166  Westminster  New  Testament 

40.  Jesus  has  no  power  to  grant  their  request 
even  if  He  would  :  the  chief  places  in  His  king- 
dom are  already  assigned  (to  whom  and  on  what 
grounds  does  not  appear),  Matthew  adds,  "  by  my 
Father."      Cf.  xiii.  32. 

41.  They  were  all  ready  to  dispute  who  should 
be  greatest  (ix.  34),  but  it  was  a  mean  thing  that 
two  of  their  number  should  thus  seek  to  steal  a 
march  on  the  rest !  With  such  indignation  Jesus 
had  no  concern :  what  mattered  was  the  spirit  of 
rivalry  which  all  shared,  and  this  He  rebuked  with 
a  repetition  of  the  teaching  of  ix.  35. 

42.  The  world-standard  of  greatness  :  those  who 
are  accounted  (possibly  the  word  contains  a  sug- 
gestion of  apparent  rule  in  contrast  with  the  ideal 
of  Jesus)  rulers,  show  their  characteristic  quality 
in  lording  it  over  others.  Luke  has  this  saying 
in  a  context  of  his  own  (xxii.  24-30). 

43.  R.V.,  "But  it  is  not  so  among  you."  The 
law  of  greatness  for  Christ's  followers  is  essentially 
different.     Cf.  notes  on  ix.  35. 

44.  servant.  Lit.  "  slave."  A  still  deeper 
humility  of  service  than  that  laid  on  the  "  minister." 

45.  For  even.  R.V.,  "  For  verily."  The  thought 
is  not  "if  the  Master,  then  so  much  more  the 
disciple";  but  "as  the  master,  so  the  disciple." 
Matthew  has  "  even  as." 

to  give  his  life,  etc.  These  are  almost  the 
only  words  which  break  the  reticence  of  the 
Synoptic  Gospels  as  to  the  significance  of  the 
death  of  Christ  (cf.  xiv.  24).  Whatever  else  they 
may  mean,  they  stand  here  as  the  culmination  of 
the  Messiah's  ministry.  He  lived  to  serve,  and  in 
service  He  even  gave  up  life  itself.  "The  good 
shepherd    layeth   down    his   life   for   the   sheep" 


St.  Mark  x.  46-52  167 

(John  x.  11).  Since  Peter's  confession,  Jesus  had 
repeatedly  spoken  of  His  coming  death  and  had 
taught  that  those  who  would  be  His  disciples  must 
be  ready  to  follow  Him  even  in  the  way  of  the 
Cross  (viii.  34).  Now  He  affirms  that  His  death  will 
be  to  many  what  the  ransom  is  to  the  slave  whom 
it  sets  free.  Why,  and  how,  are  questions  which 
have  gathered  round  this  saying  a  large  and  import- 
ant literature,  but  they  are  questions  which  this 
Gospel  leaves  without  answer.  We  may  be  content 
to  note  that  Jesus  Himself  believed  that  His  death 
would  save,  and  to  find  the  commentary  on  His 
saying  in  what  Christianity  has  wrought  for  human 
life  and  history  unto  this  day. 


Mark  x.  46-52;  cf.  Matt.  xx.  29-34  =  Luke  xviii. 
35-43. 

BLIND  BARTIM^EUS. 

46  And  they  came  to  Jericho  :  and  as  he  went  out  of  Jericho 
with  his  disciples  and  a  great  number  of  people,  blind 
Bartimaeus,  the  son  of  Timseus,  sat  by  the  highway  side 

47  begging.  And  when  he  heard  that  it  was  Jesus  of  Nazareth, 
he  began  to  cry  out,  and  say,  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David, 

48  have  mercy  on  me.  And  many  charged  him  that  he 
should  hold  his  peace  :  but  he  cried  the  more  a  great  deal, 

49  Thou  son  of  David,  have  mercy  on  me.  And  Jesus  stood 
still,  and  commanded  him  to  be  called.  And  they  call 
the  blind  man,  saying  unto  him,  Be  of  good  comfort,  rise ; 

50  he  calleth  thee.     And  he,  casting  away  his  garment,  rose, 

51  and  came  to  Jesus.  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto 
him,  What  wilt  thou  that  I  should  do  unto  thee?  The 
blind  man  said  unto  him,  Lord,  that  I  might  receive  my 


68  Westminster  New  Testament 


52  sight.  And  Jesus  said  unto  him,  Go  thy  way  ;  thy  faith 
hath  made  thee  whole.  And  immediately  he  received  his 
sight,  and  followed  Jesus  in  the  way. 

Jesus  had  now  left  Peraea,  and  crossing  the  ford 
of  Jordan  had  reached  Jericho,  some  five  miles 
from  the  river  and  fifteen  from  Jerusalem,  His 
final  halting-place  on  His  journey.  The  visit  was 
marked  by  a  cure  in  which  the  suppliant  openly, 
and  now  unrebuked  by  Jesus  (cf.  n.  on  i.  10  and 
reff.),  acclaims  Him  as  Messiah :  the  incident 
prepares  for  and  gives  the  Master's  sanction  to 
the  "  triumphal  entry."  Mark's  account  is  again 
the  fullest  and  most  graphic :  the  others  show 
some  quite  unimportant  discrepancies  on  which 
harmonists  have  bestowed  much  vain  labour 
(Matthew  "two  blind  men,"  Luke  "as  he  drew 
nigh  unto  Jericho").  Luke  alone  gives  a  second 
incident  of  this  visit  in  the  story  of  Zacchaeus 
(xix.  1-10). 

46.  R.V.,  "the  son  of  Timaeus,  Bartimaeus,  a 
blind  beggar,  was  sitting  by  the  way  side." 
Only  Mark  gives  the  name,  and  with  a  curious 
redundancy:  perhaps  "the  son  of  Timaeus,"  which 
is  the  meaning  of  Bartimaeus,  is  an  explanatory 
note  which  has  intruded  into  the  text. 

47.  Jesus  the  Nazarene.  Cf.  i.  24,  xiv.  67, 
xvi.  6.  The  people's  name  for  Jesus  (cf.  Matt, 
xxi.  11),  turned  to  contempt  by  Pilate  (John  xix. 
19),  proudly  accepted  by  the  early  Church  (Acts 
ii.  22,  iii.  6,  etc.).  The  familiar  cadence,  "Jesus  of 
Nazareth  passeth  by,"  is  from  Luke. 

son  of  David.  A  designation  of  Messiah,  here 
for  the  first  time  in  Mark  (cf.  xi.  10,  xii.  35  n.). 

48.  charged.     R.V.,  "rebuked"    (i.   25,    etc.). 


St.  Mark  xi.  i-ii  169 

The  crowd  did  not  object  to  the  title,  for  it  must 
have  been  rumours  of  their  belief  that  Jesus  was 
Messiah  that  had  reached  Bartimaeus  and  stirred 
his  hopes  of  cure.  Possibly  they  were  annoyed 
because  he  had  blurted  out  prematurely  the  cry 
they  were  keeping  back  till  the  entry  into  the 
city :  more  probably,  simply  because  this  beggar's 
interruption  was  disturbing  to  their  progress. 
Popular  enthusiasms  can  be  very  selfish. 

49.  The  change  of  tone  and  the  eagerness  of  the 
coming  are  details  peculiar  to  Mark. 

50.  rose.      R.V.,  "  sprang  up." 

51.  Jesus  elicits  the  appeal  of  an  undoubting 
confidence  in  His  power  to  heal. 

Lord.  R.V.,  "Rabboni,"  another  form  of 
"  Rabbi/'  said  to  be  a  still  more  honourable  title : 
only  here  and  John  xx.  \6,  where  it  is  explained  as 
«  Master"  (lit.  "Teacher"). 

52.  The  instant  cure  without  the  usual  touch 
(cf.  viii.  23)  is  noteworthy.  For  the  words  of 
Jesus  cf.  v.  34. 

followed.     Luke  adds,  "  glorifying  God." 


Mark  xi.  i-ii  ;  cf.  Matt.  xxi.  i-n  =  Luke  xi.  28-38 
(John  xii.  12-19). 

THE  TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY. 

And  when  they  came  nigh  to  Jerusalem,  unto  Bethphage 
and  Bethany,  at  the  mount  of  Olives,  he  sendeth  forth  two 

2  of  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them,  Go  your  way  into 
the  village  over  against  you :  and  as  soon  as  ye  be 
entered  into  it,  ye  shall  find  a  colt  tied,  whereon   never 

3  man  sat ;  loose  him,  and  bring  him.  And  if  any  man  say 
unto  you,  Why  do  ye  this  ?  say  ye  that  the  Lord  hath  need 

4  of  him  ;  and  straightway  he  will  send  him  hither.     And 


170  Westminster  New  Testament 

they   went   their  way,   and  found    the   colt  tied  by   the 
door  without  in  a  place  where  two  ways  met ;   and  they 

5  loose  him.      And  certain  of  them  that  stood   there   said 

6  unto  them,  What  do  ye,  loosing  the  colt  ?     And  they  said 

unto  them  even  as  Jesus  had  commanded  :  and  they  let 

7  them  go.     And  they  brought  the  colt  to  Jesus,  and  cast 

8  their  garments  on  him  ;  and  he  sat  upon  him.  And  many 
spread  their  garments  in  the  way :  and  others  cut  down 
branches    of  the   trees,    and   strawed   them   in  the   way. 

9  And  they  that  went  before,  and  they  that  followed,  cried, 
saying,  Hosanna  ;  Blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name 

io  of  the  Lord  :  Blessed  be  the  kingdom  of  our  father 
David,  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  :  Hosanna 

ii  in  the  highest.  And  Jesus  entered  into  Jerusalem,  and 
into  the  temple :  and  when  he  had  looked  round  about 
upon  all  things,  and  now  the  eventide  was  come,  he  went 
out  unto  Bethany  with  the  twelve. 

By  the  manner  of  His  entry  into  Jerusalem  Jesus 
for  the  first  time  openly  declared  Himself  to  be 
the  Messiah  :  see  n.  on  i.  11.  The  new  claim  is  not 
obtruded  in  the  events  and  teachings  which  follow, 
but  it  underlies  and  explains  them,  finally  bringing 
upon  Him  the  sentence  of  death  (xiv.  61-64).  It 
is  significant  that  more  than  one-third  of  Mark's 
Gospel  is  devoted  to  this  last  week:  the  frag- 
mentary record  now  becomes  a  diary. 

1.  Bethphage:  Supposed,  though  doubtfully, 
to  be  an  outlying  suburb  of  the  city,  on  the  west 
slope  of  the  Mount  of  Olives.  If  so,  Mark  gives 
the  three  names  in  the  reverse  order  of  ap- 
proach. 

2.  Compare  the  instructions  given  xiv.  12-16. 
In  both  cases  there  may  have  been  a  pre-arrange- 
ment,  though  it  is  doubtful  if  the  narrator  is  aware 
of  it. 


St.  Mark  xi.  i-ii  171 

COlt.  I.e.  of  an  ass,  as  in  Matthew  and 
John. 

whereon  never  man  sat,  and  therefore  fit  for 

sacred  use.  Cf.  Num.  xix.  2  ;  Deut.  xxi.  3  ;  2  Sam. 
vi.  3.  This  detail  is  absent  from  Matthew  and 
John,  and  perhaps  hardly  formed  part  of  the 
instructions. 

3.  R.V.,  "and  straightway  he  will  send  him 
back  hither."  Part  of  the  message  to  the  owner 
of  the  colt  is  a  promise  that  the  animal  shall  be 
returned  when  done  with.  A  homely  touch,  but 
quite  in  keeping  with  the  other  details.  A.V. 
follows  Matthew's  version. 

4.  in  a  place  where  two  ways  met.  R.V., 
"in  the  open  street."  The  circumstantial  details 
suggest  the  recollection  of  an  eye-witness. 

7.  The  lack  of  a  saddle  is  supplied  by  cloaks. 

8.  R.V.,  "  and  others  branches  [Gr.  "  layers  of 
leaves "],  which  they  had  cut  from  the  fields." 
The  road  is  made  smooth  by  their  homage ;  cf. 
2  Kings  ix.  13. 

9.  The  acclamation  of  the  crowd,  varied  in  each 
of  the  four  accounts,  is  founded  upon  Ps.  cxviii. 
25,  26,  a  song  of  exultant  thanksgiving  for 
national  deliverance,  the  occasion  of  which  is  not 
known. 

Hosanna.  The  Aramaic  form  of  the  Hebrew 
words  of  the  psalm,  which  mean  "  Save  now." 
The  word  seems  to  have  lost  its  original  signifi- 
cance of  a  prayer  and  to  have  become  an  ejaculation 
of  praise  or  rejoicing,  an  Hurrah !  This  appears 
from  the  very  retention  of  the  Aramaic  word, 
instead  of  the  obvious  translation  if  a  prayer  was 
intended,  and  from  the  phrase  in  Matthew, 
"Hosanna  to    the  son  of  David,"    where    "Save 


172  Westminster  New  Testament 

now"  gives  no  sense.  Indeed,  the  mind  of  an 
exultant  crowd  is  not  often  attuned  to  prayer,  and 
this  crowd  was  no  exception.  Their  hopes  were 
of  the  earth,  earthy  :  their  enthusiasm,  unsustained 
by  high  ideal  and  quickly  disappointed  of  its 
expected  triumph,  passed  into  hate. 

10.  R.V.,  "Blessed  is  the  kingdom  that  cometh, 
the  kingdom  of  our  father  David."  This  addition  to 
the  words  of  the  psalm  shows  the  bent  of  the 
popular  expectation :  Jesus  was  to  restore  the 
temporal  glories  of  the  Davidic  kingdom.  Luke 
has  "  Blessed  is  the  King  that  cometh  "  :  perhaps 
from  a  recollection  of  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah 
(ix.  9),  quoted  by  Matthew  (xxi.  5)  and  by  John 
(xii.  15),  and  probably  underlying  this  whole 
account. 

Hosanna  in  the  highest.  I.e.,  in  heaven. 
Again  praise  rather  than  prayer :  at  most  an 
"hurrah"  dignified  into  "God  save  the  king!" 
Luke  has  "  glory  in  the  highest." 

11.  See  n.  on  iii.  5.  The  significance  of  that 
silent  look  would  appear  on  the  morrow. 

Matthew  and  Luke,  with  less  probability,  place 
the  cleansing  of  the  Temple  on  the  day  of  entry. 

Bethany.  Perhaps  to  lodge  with  friends, 
perhaps  to  u  bivouac  among  the  hills  "  (Swete,  cf. 
Luke  xxi.  37).  At  xiv.  3  we  find  Him  in  the  house 
of  Simon  the  leper.  The  familiar  association  of 
Bethany  with  the  home  of  Lazarus,  Martha  and 
Mary,  is  wholly  derived  from  the  Fourth  Gospel. 

This  retirement  from  the  crowded  city  was 
repeated  every  evening  (ver.  19,  R.V.). 


St.  Mark  xi.  12-19  173 

Mark  xi.  12-14  J  c^  Matt.  xxi.  i8-i9a. 
THE  BARREN  FIG  TREE. 

12  And  on  the  morrow,  when  they  were  come  from  Bethany, 

13  he  was  hungry:  and  seeing  a  fig  tree  afar  off,  having 
leaves,  he  came,  if  haply  he  might  find  any  thing  thereon  : 
and  when  he  came  to  it,  he  found  nothing  but  leaves ; 

14  for  the  time  of  figs  was  not  yet.  And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  it,  No  man  eat  fruit  of  thee  hereafter  for  ever. 
And  his  disciples  heard  it. 

This  incident  is  related,  with  differences,  by 
Matthew  also,  not  by  Luke.  For  comments  see 
notes  on  vers.  20-25. 

13.  This  was  March  or  April,  and  the  earliest  figs 
were  not  ripe  till  June.  But  the  brave  show  of 
foliage  made  a  profession  which  it  did  not  fulfil. 

14.  He  answered  the  silent  challenge  of  the 
tree.  The  words  addressed  to  it  are  the  expression 
of  a  wish,  "May  no  man  eat,"  but  in  ver.  21 
they  are  interpreted  as  a  curse.  In  Matthew  they 
are  a  prediction,  u  There  shall  be  no  fruit." 


Mark  xi.  15-19;  cf.  Matt.  xxi.  12-17  =  Luke  xix.  45-48. 
THE  CLEANSING  OF  THE  TEMPLE. 

15  And  they  come  to  Jerusalem :  and  Jesus  went  into 
the  temple,  and  began  to  cast  out  them  that  sold  and 
bought  in  the  temple,  and  overthrew  the  tables  of  the 
moneychangers,  and  the  seats  of  them  that  sold  doves ; 

16  and  would  not  suffer  that   any  man  should   carry  any 

1 7  vessel  through  the  temple.  And  he  taught,  saying  unto 
them,  Is  it  not  written,  My  house  shall  be  called  of  all 
7iations  the  house  of  prayer  ?  but  ye  have  made  it  a  den 


174  Westminster  New  Testament 

1 8  of  thieves.  And  the  scribes  and  chief  priests  heard  it,  and 
sought  how  they  might  destroy  him  :  for  they  feared  him, 
because  all   the  people  was  astonished  at  his  doctrine. 

19  And  when  even  was  come,  he  went  out  of  the  city. 

There  is  ample  evidence  that  a  regular  market 
for  the  sale  of  all  things  necessary  for  the  sacrifices, 
and  for  money-changing,  was  carried  on  within  the 
Temple  precincts  (probably  in  the  Court  of  the 
Gentiles),  under  regulation  of  and  to  the  profit  of 
the  priests :  see  Edersheim,  Life  and  Times  of 
Jesus  the  Messiah,  bk.  iii.  c.  v.  This  bold  action 
of  Jesus  wTould  touch  the  popular  conscience, 
grown  callous  by  custom  :  it  would  be  welcomed, 
too,  by  the  people  who  had  suffered  much  and 
long  from  priestly  extortion.  Hence  it  was  passed 
over  with  only  a  half-hearted  and  impotent 
challenge  from  the  authorities  (vers.  27-33). 

All  the  Synoptics  agree  in  placing  this  incident 
in  the  last  week  :  John  connects  a  similar  act  with 
a  Passover  visit  of  Jesus  to  Jerusalem  at  the  outset 
of  the  Ministry  (John  ii.  13-22).  The  difficulty— 
whether  two  cleansings,  or,  if  one  only,  whether  the 
dating  of  the  Fourth  Gospel  or  that  of  the 
Synoptics  is  to  be  preferred — is  part  of  a  larger 
problem  (see  n.  on  i.  14,  15).  It  must  suffice 
here  to  note  that  the  action  of  Jesus  is  an  assertion 
of  Messianic  authority  which  could  not,  consist- 
ently with  Mark's  development  of  the  history,  have 
been  made  at  the  earlier  period :  the  place  given 
to  it  in  John  is  quite  in  keeping  with  the  recogni- 
tion which  that  Gospel  accords  from  the  first  to 
Jesus  as  Messiah  (cf.  John  i.  29,  41,  45,  49, 
ii.  11). 
16.  Even  the  use  made  of  the  Temple  precincts 


St.  Mark  xi.  20-26  175 

as  a  short  cut  in  the  ordinary  traffic  of  the  city  is 
forbidden.     Mark  only. 

17.  R.V.,  "My  house  shall  be  called  a  house  of 
prayer  for  all  the  nations."  The  prophecy  (Isa. 
lvi.  7)  speaks  of  the  bringing  in  of  the  Gentiles 
to  the  community  of  Israel ;  debarred  from  the 
sacrifices  which  only  the  circumcised  could  offer,  a 
yet  higher  use  of  the  Temple  was  open  to  them  in 
the  sacrifice  of  prayer.  "  Thus  in  a  certain  sense 
the  '  Court  of  the  Gentiles '  became  the  holiest 
part  of  the  Temple "  (Cheyne) ;  and  this  court, 
standing  symbol  of  the  universality  and  therefore 
of  the  spirituality  of  Israel's  worship,  had  been 
degraded  into  a  noisy  cattle-market ! 

R.V.,  "a  den  of  robbers."  A  phrase  sufficiently 
apt  to  the  extortions  practised  upon  the  worshippers. 
In  the  original  context  (Jer.  vii.  11)  it  is  used  in 
scathing  denunciation  of  those  who  cover  up  all 
maimer  of  moral  abominations  with  the  cloak  of 
religion. 

18.  Cf.  xii.  12,  xiv.  1,  11. 

19.  R.V.,  u  And  every  evening  he  went  forth  out 
of  the  city." 


Mark  xi.  20-26 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxi.  i9b-22. 
THE  WITHERED  FIG  TREE. 

20  And  in  the  morning,  as  they  passed  by,  they  saw  the  fig 

21  tree  dried  up  from  the  roots.  And  Peter  calling  to 
remembrance  saith  unto  him,  Master,  behold,  the  fig  tree 

22  which   thou    cursedst  is    withered    away.      And    Jesus 

23  answering  saith  unto  them,  Have  faith  in  God.  For 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  whosoever  shall  say  unto 
this  mountain,  Be  thou  removed,  and  be  thou  cast  into 


176  Westminster  New  Testament 

the  sea  ;  and  shall  not  doubt  in  his  heart,  but  shall  believe 
that  those  things  which  he  saith  shall  come  to  pass ;  he 

24  shall  have  whatsoever  he  saith.  Therefore  I  say  unto  you, 
What  things  soever  ye  desire,  when  ye  pray,  believe  that 

25  ye  receive  them,  and  ye  shall  have  them.  And  when  ye 
stand  praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have  ought  against  any  : 
that  your  Father  also  which  is  in  heaven  may  forgive  you 

26  your  trespasses.  But  if  ye  do  not  forgive,  neither  will 
your  Father  which  is  in  heaven  forgive  your  trespasses. 

20.  This  sequel  to  what  had  happened  on  the 
previous  morning  is  very  naturally  told.  Matthew 
is  different. 

22.  The  lesson  drawn  does  not,  as  we  might 
expect,  deal  with  the  unreal  profession  which  had 
brought  destruction  on  the  tree,  but  with  the 
power  of  faith  to  work  miracles. 

23.  The  hyperbolic  expression  is  perhaps  sug- 
gested by  the  hill  they  were  traversing  and  the 
deep-lying  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea,  well  within 
view. 

24.  R.V.,  "  believe  that  ye  have  received  them." 
In  the  very  moment  and  act  of  prayer  the  answer 
is  already  come. 

25.  The  injunction  to  forgive,  elsewhere  (Matt, 
vi.  14,  xviii.  35)  made  the  condition  of  effective 
prayer  for  forgiveness,  is  here  linked,  not  very 
obviously,  with  the  efficacy  of  prayer  in  general. 
Perhaps  the  connection  is  due  to  Mark. 

26.  R.V.  omits  this  verse :  an  insertion  from 
Matt.  vi.  15. 

This  story  of  the  cursing  of  the  fig  tree 
undoubtedly  raises  difficulties.  Jesus  cannot  have 
used  His  miraculous  powers  in  resentment  against 
an  offending  tree,  and  in  seeking  an  interpretation 


St.  Mark  xi.  20-26  177 

which  will  justify  the  act  we  are  led  beyond  any 
indications  given  by  the  narrative  itself.  It  is 
true  that  the  thoughts  of  Jesus  were  just  now  filled 
with  the  all  but  hopeless  religious  condition  of 
Israel  (cf.  ver.  17,  xii.  1-11  ;  Matthew  adds  other 
similar  teaching) :  He  may  well  see  in  this  fig  tree 
"  a  symbol  of  Israel  with  his  immense  and  gorge- 
ous religious  apparatus  and  his  scanty  yield  of  the 
true  fruits  of  religion"  (Menzies).  In  this  case 
there  is  no  resentment  for  disappointed  hunger, 
and  no  question  of  the  culpability  of  the  tree :  the 
action  is  wholly  symbolic,  an  "  acted  parable  "  of 
imminent  judgment  on  the  false  profession  of 
Israel.  But  there  is  a  reserve  about  our  Lord's 
miracles  which  this  use  of  superhuman  power  for 
purely  parabolic  purpose  seems  to  break.  More- 
over, the  context  gives  no  hint  of  the  teaching 
which  the  "acted  parable"  is  supposed  to  convey  : 
in  place  of  moral  drawn  from  "nothing  but  leaves," 
it  is  the  prodigy  of  the  withering  that  is  used  to 
teach  that  nothing  is  too  hard  for  faith.  Probably 
the  records  do  not  enable  us  to  see  clearly  the 
whole  of  the  facts  :  it  is  to  be  noted  that  while  in 
Mark  the  effect  of  the  "  curse  "  was  not  noticed  by 
the  disciples  till  the  following  day,  in  Matthew  the 
tree  instantly  withered,  the  very  suddenness  of  the 
effect  causing  the  disciples  to  marvel.  Luke  omits 
the  incident,  but  he  alone  records  the  Parable  of 
the  Barren  Fig  Tree  (xiii.  6-9),  which,  though  placed 
by  him  at  an  earlier  period,  seems  more  congruous 
to  the  teaching  of  these  last  days.  The  theme  of 
that  parable  also  is  the  fruitlessness  of  Israel,  though 
it  has  a  note  of  long-suffering  and  hopefulness, 
very  Christlike,  but  absent  from  the  irrevocable 
doom  pronounced  upon  the  fig  tree  of  our  story. 

12 


178  Westminster  New  Testament 

It  is  not  surprising  (though  this  "  solution  "  of  the 
difficulty  raises  difficulties  of  its  own)  that  man)' 
interpreters  regard  the  "acted  parable"  recorded 
by  Matthew  and  Mark  as  another  form,  altered  in 
tradition,  of  the  spoken  parable  preserved  only  by 
Luke. 


Mark  xi.  27-33;  Matt.  xxi.  23-27  =  Luke  xx.  1-8. 
THE  AUTHORITY  OF  JESUS  CHALLENGED. 

27  And  they  come  again  to  Jerusalem  :  and  as  he  was  walking 
in  the  temple,  there  come  to  him  the  chief  priests,  and 

28  the  scribes,  and  the  elders,  and  say  unto  him,  By  what 
authority  doest  thou  these  things  ?  and  who  gave  thee  this 

29  authority  to  do  these  things  ?  And  Jesus  answered  and  said 
unto  them,  I  will  also  ask  of  you  one  question,  and  answer 
me,  and  I  will  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

30  The   baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven,  or  of  men  ? 

31  answer  me.  And  they  reasoned  with  themselves,  saying, 
If  we  shall  say,  From  heaven ;  he  will  say,  Why  then  did 

32  ye  not  believe  him  ?  But  if  we  shall  say,  Of  men  ;  they 
feared  the  people  :  for  all  men  counted  John,  that  he  was  a 

33  prophet  indeed.  And  they  answered  and  said  unto  Jesus, 
We  cannot  tell.  And  Jesus  answering  saith  unto  them, 
Neither  do  I  tell  you  by  what  authority  I  do  these  things. 

The  first  of  several  encounters  between  Jesus  and 
the  Jewish  authorities,  in  which  the  wisdom  of 
Jesus  and  the  fury  of  His  opponents,  restrained 
only  by  His  popularity  with  the  multitude,  are 
vividly  depicted. 

27.  A  quasi-official  deputation  from  the  Sanhe- 
drin,  each  section  being  represented. 

28.  these  things.  Not  only  the  breaking  up 
of  the   Temple-market,  but   the   teaching  in  the 


St.   Mark  xi.  27-33  179 

Temple  by  which  it  was  followed,  and  probably  the 
tumultuous  entry  of  two  days  ago.  The  question 
was  reasonable  and  inevitable.  They  were  the 
official  guardians  of  religion  :  what  kind  of  personal 
authority  was  this  which  acted  as  it  chose  and 
paid  no  heed  to  theirs  ?  Or  if  indeed  He  claimed 
to  be  vested  with  an  external,  delegated  authority 
of  the  sort  which  alone  they  recognised,  who  con- 
ferred it  upon  him  ? 

29.  The  answering  of  one  question  by  another 
was  familiar  to  Rabbinic  method. 

30.  This  question  of  Jesus  is  not  a  brilliant 
evasion  but  is  strictly  pertinent  to  the  issue  they 
have  raised.  The  recent  ministry  of  John  the 
Baptist  was  outside  official  religion :  he  appeared 
without  credentials,  taught  with  authority,  de- 
nounced the  religious  leaders,  baptized.  Such  a 
ministry  must  provoke  precisely  the  same  question  as 
that  raised  by  the  acts  of  Jesus.  How  does  official 
religion  answer  it  ?  Was  John's  authority  personal, 
derived  from  God  alone,  or  was  it  delegated  to  him 
by  men  ?  If  they  say  from  heaven,  they  vindicate 
Jesus  and  condemn  themselves ;  if  from  men, 
their  credit  for  religious  insight  is  gone,  and  they 
are  in  peril  from  popular  tumult  (Luke,  "  all  the 
people  will  stone  us"). 

31.  Cf.  Luke  vii.  29,  30.  Whether,  if  they  gave 
this  reply,  Jesus  would  have  appealed  to  John's 
testimony  concerning  Himself  does  not  appear. 

33.  A  lame  and  impotent  conclusion,  abdicating 
all  right  to  sit  in  judgment  upon  "  a  greater  than 
John." 


180  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  xii.  1-12 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxi.  33~46=Luke  xx.  9-19. 

THE  PARABLE  OF  THE  VINEYARD. 

And  he  began  to  speak  unto  them  by  parables.  A  certain 
man  planted  a  vineyard,  and  set  an  hedge  about  it,  and 
digged  a  place  for  the  winefat,  and  built  a  tower,  and  let  it 

2  out  to  husbandmen,  and  went  into  a  far  country.  And  at 
the  season  he  sent  to  the  husbandmen  a  servant,  that  he 
might  receive  from  the  husbandmen  of  the  fruit  of  the  vine- 

3  yard.     And  they  caught  him,  and  beat  him,  and  sent  him 

4  away  empty.  And  ;  again  he  sent  unto  them  another 
servant ;  and  at  him  they  cast  stones,  and  wounded  him  in 

5  the  head,  and  sent  him  away  shamefully  handled.  And 
again  he  sent   another  ;   and  him   they  killed,  and  many 

6  others  ;  beating  some,  and  killing  some.  Having  yet 
therefore  one  son,  his  well-beloved,  he  sent  him  also  last 

7  unto  them,  saying,  They  will  reverence  my  son.  But  those 
husbandmen  said  amongst  themselves,  This  is  the  heir  ; 
come,  let  us  kill  him,  and  the  inheritance  shall  be  ours. 

8  And  they  took  him,  and  killed  him,  and  cast  him  out  of 

9  the  vineyard.  What  shall  therefore  the  lord  of  the  vine- 
yard do  ?  he  will  come  and  destroy  the  husbandmen,  and 

10  will  give  the  vineyard  unto  others.  And  have  ye  not  read 
this   scripture  ;     The  stone  which   the  builders  rejected  is 

1 1  become  the  head  of  the  corner :  this  was  the  Lord's  doing, 

1 2  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes  ?  And  they  sought  to  lay 
hold  on  him,  but  feared  the  people  :  for  they  knew  that  he 
had  spoken  the  parable  against  them  :  and  they  left  him, 
and  went  their  way. 

The  connection  with  the  preceding  section  is 
close.  Jesus  had  taken  authority  to  condemn  the 
rulers  for  faithlessness  to  their  trust  (xi.  17 ,  30), 
and  now  emphasises  His  condemnation  in  this 
parable  of  judgment,  spoken  against  them,  i.e.  the 


St.   Mark  xii.  1-12  181 

rulers  (ver.  12).  The  significance  which  attaches  to 
the  main  details  of  the  story  makes  it  rather  an 
allegory  than  a  parable  (see  n.  on  iv.  14-20). 
Incidentally  the  story  reveals  the  Messianic  con- 
sciousness of  Jesus  (vers.  6,  10),  but  the  stress  is  on 
the  guilt  of  Israel. 

1.  parables.  The  plural  may  mean  that  Mark 
knows  of  the  other  two  added  here  by  Matthew 
(The  Two  Sons  and  The  King's  Marriage  Feast), 
or,  more  generally,  "in  parabolic  fashion." 

The  imagery  of  God's  care  for  Israel — a  well 
equipped  vineyard,  protected  by  hedge  and  watch- 
tower — is  taken  from  Isa.  v.  1,2,  where  it  leads  up 
to  the  moral,  "and  it  brought  forth  wild  grapes." 

winefat.  O.E.  for  u  winevat,"  the  lower  trough 
which  received  the  juice  of  the  trodden  grapes. 
R.V.,  "  winepress,"  the  upper  trough  in  which  the 
grapes  were  crushed.  The  tenants  were  to  make 
payment  in  kind. 

2-5.  A  graphic  representation  of  Israel's  treat- 
ment of  God's  messengers  and  spokesmen,  the 
prophets:  cf.  Matt,  xxiii.  29-37;  Acts  vii.  51-53. 

6.  R.V.,  "  He  had  yet  one,  a  beloved  son."  A 
double  contrast  of  the  one  son  with  the  many 
servants  (lit.  slaves)  of  ver.  5.  The  words  belong  to 
the  story  and  are  not  to  be  unduly  pressed,  but 
they  at  least  contain  a  claim  on  the  part  of  Jesus 
to  stand  in  the  line  of  the  prophets,  and  to  repre- 
sent God  with  a  unique  authority  which  made 
His  mission  the  final  appeal  of  the  Divine  patience. 

7.  A  counsel  of  all  but  incredible  folly,  but 
fitting  description  of  the  blindness  which  was 
hurrying  to  the  crime  of  Calvary. 

8.  murder  followed  by  outrage  upon  the  dead 
body.     In  Matthew  and  Luke  the  son  is  first  cast 


182  Westminster  New  Testament 

out,  then    slain    (cf.    John    xix.     17;    Heb.    xiii. 
12,  13). 

9.  God,  long  ignored  as  absent,  had  yet  to  be 
reckoned  with.  The  fate  which  must  overtake 
these  husbandmen  is  so  obvious  that  in  Matthew 
it  is  the  answer  of  the  hearers  to  the  question  of 
Jesus.  Luke  is  like  Mark,  but  shows  how  the 
moral  struck  home  by  the  alarmed  protest  of  the 
hearers,  tt  God  forbid." 

10.  From  Ps.  cxviii.  22,  23,  where  the  rejected 
Stone  is  Israel,  flung  aside  by  the  world-powers  as 
of  no  account,  yet  raised  in  the  purpose  of  God  to 
the  place  of  highest  honour.  The  text  became  a 
favourite  one  with  the  early  Christian  Church :  cf. 
Acts  iv.  11;  1  Pet.  ii.  4-7;  Eph.  ii.  20.  The 
previous  context  here  has  spoken  of  rejection  and 
vengeance ;  the  quotation  speaks  of  rejection  and 
vindication  of  the  rejected.  Matthew  and  Luke 
add  the  note  of  vengeance  in  their  reference  to  the 
other  stones  of  Isa.  viii.  14,  15  and  Dan.  ii.  44,  45. 

12.  Cf.  xi.  18. 


Mark  xii.  13-17 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxii.  15-22=  Luke  xx.  20-26. 
TRIBUTE  TO  CiESAR. 

13  And  they  send  unto  him  certain  of  the  Pharisees  and  of 

14  the  Herodians,  to  catch  him  in  his  words.  And  when 
they  were  come,  they  say  unto  him,  Master,  we  know 
that  thou  art  true,  and  carest  for  no  man :  for  thou 
regardest  not  the  person  of  men,  but  teachest  the  way  of 
God  in  truth  :  Is  it  lawful  to  give  tribute  to  Caesar,  or  not  ? 

15  Shall  we  give,  or  shall  we  not  give?  But  he,  knowing 
their    hypocrisy,    said    unto   them,    Why   tempt   ye   me  ? 


St.   Mark  xii.  13-17  183 

16  bring  me  a  penny,  that  I  may  see  it.  And  they  brought 
it.     And  he  saith   unto  them,    Whose  is  this   image   and 

17  superscription?  And  they  said  unto  him,  Caesar's.  And 
Jesus  answering  said  unto  them,  Render  to  Caesar  the 
things  that  are  Ccesar's,  and  to  God  the  things  that  are 
God's.     And  they  marvelled  at  him. 

Mark  now  relates  a  series  of  three  questions  upon 
outstanding  matters  of  belief  and  practice,  put  to 
Jesus  by  various  sections  of  the  religious  leaders, 
with  the  hope  of  snaring  Him  in  talk.  In  each 
instance  the  answer  not  only  avoids  the  snare  but 
amazes  all  by  the  lofty  truth  of  its  teaching. 

IS.  they  send.  I.e.,  the  members  of  the  San- 
hedrin  (xi.  27,  xii.  12). 

Pharisees  and  Herodians.  Cf.  n.  on  iii.  6. 
Both,  from  differing  motives,  were  opposed  to  the 
Roman  rule,  but  submitted  as  yet  to  the  inevitable. 

14.  A  striking  testimony  to  the  impression  of 
fearless  sincerity  which  Jesus  had  made  even 
upon  those  who  would  use  it  for  His  undoing. 

tribute.  The  taxes  (especially  the  poll-tax)  pay- 
able by  the  Jews,  as  Roman  subjects,  into  the 
Imperial  treasury.  Was  this  payment  lawful,  i.e.  in 
accordance  with  Jewish  Law  (cf.  ii.  24,  26,  vi.  18, 
x.  2)  ?  It  might  be  politic,  or  necessary  ;  but 
policy  put  no  restraint  upon  this  man's  fearless 
utterance  of  truth,  nor  could  necessity  fetter  one 
whom  the  people  already  acclaimed  as  the  expected 
Deliverer.  Surely  His  answer  must  raise  the 
standard  of  revolt  and  bring  down  Rome  upon 
Him  (Luke  xx.  20)  ?  Or,  if  it  confirmed  Israel's 
servitude,  what  of  the  people's  expectancy  ? 

15.  The  motives  underlying  their  fair  words  and 
the   specious   request  for  a  "yes"  or  "no"  to  a 


1 84  Westminster  New  Testament 

plain  question  are  laid  bare  by  the  word  tempt, 
i.e.  put  to  the  test  with  malicious  intent. 

penny.  The  silver  denarius  of  Imperial  coinage, 
in  which  the  taxes  were  reckoned  and  paid.  Other 
local  money,  not  bearing  the  Emperor's  image,  was 
in  common  use,  and  the  "penny"  had  to  be 
fetched. 

16.  The  obverse  of  the  coin  bore  the  head  of 
the  Emperor  Tiberius,  surrounded  by  the  (abbrevi- 
ated) inscription  "  Tiberius  Augustus,  son  of  the 
divine  Augustus." 

17.  They  had  spoken  of  giving  tribute:  Jesus 
says  render,  i.e.  pay  as  a  debt.  This  symbol  of 
Roman  government  was  not  a  badge  of  servitude, 
but  pledge  of  Rome's  protection  and  civilisation  : 
even  the  most  passive  acceptance  of  the  Imperial 
rule  and  all  that  it  meant  carried  with  it  obliga- 
tions which  no  higher  claim  could  disallow.  And 
then,  in  one  illuminating  phrase,  Jesus  sets  the 
whole  thing  in  its  true  light :  and  unto  God  the 
things  that  are  God's.  They  had  conceived 
of  the  claims  of  Caesar  and  of  God  as  rival  and 
antagonistic  :  He  resolves  the  contradiction.  The 
true  Theocracy  has  place  for  all  human  relations, 
which  indeed  are  of  Divine  ordinance  (Rom.  xiii.  1). 
The  claim  of  God  conflicts  with  no  legitimate 
claim  of  man — family,  social,  or  political — but 
enfolds,  interpenetrates,  interprets  them  all.  They 
cherished  vain  dreams  of  a  new  world-power 
under  the  fiction  of  a  "  kingdom  of  God  "  :  if  they 
but  knew  it,  the  kingdom  of  God  was  "in  the 
midst  of  them,"  needing  no  revolution  for  its 
attainment. 


St.   Mark  xii.  18-27  185 


Mark  xii.  18-27;  cf.  Matt.  xxii.  23-33= Luke 
x.  27-38. 

THE  RESURRECTION  OF  THE  DEAD. 

18  Then  come  unto  him   the  Sadducees,  which  say  there  is 

19  no  resurrection ;  and  they  asked  him,  saying,  Master, 
Moses  wrote  unto  us,  If  a  man's  brother  die,  and  leave 
his  wife  behind  him,  and  leave  no  children,  that  his 
brother  should  take  his  wife,  and  raise  up  seed  unto  his 

20  brother.     Now   there  were  seven  brethren  :  and  the  first 

21  took  a  wife,  and  dying  left  no  seed.  And  the  second  took 
her,  and  died,    neither  left   he  any  seed :  and  the  third 

22  likewise.     And    the    seven  had   her,   and   left  no   seed : 

23  last  of  all  the  woman  died  also.  In  the  resurrection 
therefore,  when  they   shall  rise,  whose  wife  shall  she  be 

24  of  them  ?  for  the  seven  had  her  to  wife.  And  Jesus 
answering  said  unto  them,  Do  ye  not  therefore  err, 
because  ye  know  not  the  scriptures,  neither  the  power  of 

25  God?  For  when  they  shall  rise  from  the  dead,  they 
neither  marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage ;  but  are  as  the 

26  angels  which  are  in  heaven.  And  as  touching  the  dead, 
that  they  rise  :  have  ye  not  read  in  the  book  of  Moses,  how 
in  the  bush  God  spake  unto  him,  saying,  I  am  the  God  of 
Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob  ? 

27  He  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  the  God  of  the  living  : 
ye  therefore  do  greatly  err. 

This  is  the  only  mention  of  the  Sadducees  by 
Mark.  Since,  however,  they  were  the  priestly 
aristocracy,  they  are  virtually  included  in  each 
reference  to  the  "  chief  priests  "  who  were  sworn  to 
destroy  Jesus  (xi.  18,  etc.).  Their  question,  there- 
fore, would  seem  to  be  prompted  by  hostility  to 
Jesus  rather  than  to  their  rivals  the  Pharisees. 
They  knew  that  He  shared  the  popular  belief  in 


186  Westminster  New  Testament 

the  resurrection,  and  they  sought  to  discredit  His 
teaching  with  the  people  by  making  it  ridiculous. 
In  a  sense  their  conundrum,  probably  a  stock  one 
of  the  schools,  was  not  unfair,  for  the  teaching  of 
the  Rabbis  as  to  the  future  life  was  grossly 
materialistic ;  and  the  jesting  extravagance  of  the 
case  supposed  must  not  blind  us  to  a  real  problem 
for  faith,  the  survival  into  the  life  beyond  of  those 
human  interests  and  fellowships  in  which  the  worth 
of  life  here  so  largely  consists.  Jesus  clears  this 
problem  from  its  earthly  accretions,  and  finds  its 
answer  in  God. 

18.  Cf.  Acts  xxiii.  8.  In  denying  the  resurrec- 
tion they  took  their  stand  on  the  Law,  rejecting 
Jewish  tradition  with  its  elaborated  doctrine  of 
angels,  demons,  and  the  future  life. 

19-23.  A  conceivable  case,  founded  on  the  law 
of  Deut.  xxv.  5,  6,  though  the  custom  had  largely 
fallen  into  disuse.  The  point  is,  "  If  Moses  and 
the  Law  had  had  any  thought  of  a  resurrection 
they  would  have  been  very  careful  not  to  create 
such  an  anomaly"  (Loisy). 

24  Jesus  rebukes  their  ignorance  of  the  very 
scriptures  on  which  they  relied,  and  their 
scepticism.     The  latter  point  is  dealt  with  first. 

25.  The  legal  conventions  of  earth  have  no 
relevance  in  heaven.  For  the  rest — the  carrying 
on  into  a  future  life  of  what  on  earth  is  of  real 
value  and  therefore  permanent  —  there  is  the 
power  of  God. 

26.  R.V.,  "  in  the  book  of  Moses,  in  the  place 
concerning  the  Bush,  how  God  spake,"  etc.  I.e.,  at 
the  section  beginning  Ex.  iii.  1  entitled  "  The 
Bush"  ;  cf.  Rom.  xi.  2,  "in  (the  section  concerning) 
Elijah."     The  point  of  the  quotation  does  not  lie 


St.   Mark  xii.  28-34  187 

in  the  "  I  am,"  as  if  this  asserted  that  the  long- 
past  relationship  still  continued:  the  verb  "am" 
is  not  expressed  either  in  the  Greek  or  Hebrew. 
It  rather  lies  in  the  thrice  reiterated  "  God/'  as  the 
next  verse  shows. 

27.  The  relationship  between  man  and  God  is 
essentially  a  living  one :  death  would  not  simply 
end  it,  but  would  contradict  it.  God,  to  be  God,  is 
and  must  be  the  God  of  living  men.  Thus  Jesus 
rests  the  whole  case  for  immortality  upon  faith  in 
God.  Cf.  Heb.  xi.,  especially  vers.  10,  13-16, 
39,  40. 


Mark  xii.  28-34 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxii.  34-40  (Luke  x.  25-37). 
THE  GREAT  COMMANDMENT. 

28  And  one  of  the  scribes  came,  and  having  heard  them 
reasoning  together,  and  perceiving  that  he  had  answered 
them  well,  asked  him,  Which  is  the  first  commandment  of 

29  all  ?  And  Jesus  answered  him,  The  first  of  all  the  com- 
mandments is,  Hear,  O  Israel ;  The  Lord  our  God  is  one 

30  Lord :  and  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy 
heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and 

31  with  ali  thy  strength  :  this  is  the  first  commandment.  And 
the  second  is  like,  namely  this,  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bour as  thyself.     There  is  none  other  commandment  greater 

32  than  these.  And  the  scribe  said  unto  him,  Well,  Master, 
thou  hast  said  the  truth  :  for  there  is  one  God  ;  and  there 

33  is  none  other  but  he  :  and  to  love  him  with  all  the  heart, 
and  with  all  the  understanding,  and  with  all  the  soul,  and 
with  all  the  strength,  and  to  love  his  neighbour  as  himself, 

34  is  more  than  all  whole  burnt  offerings  and  sacrifices.  And 
when  Jesus  saw  that  he  answered  discreetly,  he  said  unto 
him,  Thou  art  not  far  from  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  no 
man  after  that  durst  ask  him  any  question. 


1 88  Westminster  New  Testament 

Mark  does  not  represent  this  third  question 
as  put  from  unfriendly  motives.  Matthew  has 
"tempting  him,"  and  omits  the  matter  of 
vers.  32-34.  Luke  omits  the  whole  section,  but 
records  a  very  similar  question  at  an  earlier  period, 
with  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan  to  show 
what  love  to  one's  neighbour  means  (Luke  x. 
25-37). 

28.  Which,  lit.  what  kind  of  command- 
ment is  first  of  all  ?  "  As  we  should  say,  In  what 
direction  are  we  to  look  for  the  first  command- 
ment ? "  (Menzies). 

29-  Jesus  goes  straight  to  what  is  most  funda- 
mental and  spiritual,  citing  in  answer  the  first 
sentences  of  the  Jewish  Shema  (so  called  from  the 
Hebrew  of  its  first  word,  Hear)  or  confession  of 
faith,  repeated  twice  a  day  by  every  adult  male 
Israelite  (it  consisted  of  Deut.  vi.  4-9,  xi.  13-21  ; 
Num.  xv.  37-41).  Jehovah  alone  is  God,  and  claims 
the  undivided  loyalty  of  every  faculty  of  man. 

R.V.,  "The  Lord  our  God,  the  Lord  is  one." 
"  The  Lord  "  is  Jehovah. 

30.  Broadly  speaking,  the  heart  stands  for  the 
whole  mental  life,  which  manifests  itself  in  emotion 
or  affection  (soul),  intellect  (mind),  and  will 
(strength). 

31.  Jesus  adds  a  second  commandment,  which, 
as  used  by  Him,  interprets  and  vitalises  the 
precepts  of  the  second  table  of  the  Decalogue. 
The  words  are  from  Lev.  xix.  18,  where  they  occur 
quite  incidentally,  and,  as  the  context  shows, 
specify  the  Jew's  obligation  only  to  his  fellow- 
Jew  (cf.  Matt.  v.  43) ;  hence  the  question  of  Luke 
x.  29,  "  And  who  is  my  neighbour  ? "  with  its 
answer    in    the    "Good    Samaritan."      The    pro- 


St.  Mark  xii.  35-37  189 

minence  given  to  this  commandment  in  Christian 
teaching  is  noticeable  in  Jas.  ii.  8  ("the  royal 
law");  Rom.  xiii.  8-10  ;  Gal.  v.  14:  see  also  Matt, 
vii.  12. 

32,  83.  This  approving  rejoinder  by  the  scribe 
is  given  by  Mark  alone.  The  contrast  between 
love  to  God  and  man,  and  sacrifices,  reminds  of 
1  Sam  xv.  22 ;  Mic.  vi.  6-8. 

34.  The  last  clause  of  this  verse  appears  in  each 
Synoptic,  but  at  different  points  of  the  controversy. 


Mark  xii.  35-37 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxii.  41-46  =  Luke  xx.  41-44. 
THE  SON  OF  DAVID. 

35  And  Jesus  answered  and  said,  while  he  taught  in  the 
temple,  How  say  the  scribes   that  Christ   is   the   son  of 

36  David  ?  For  David  himself  said  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  The 
Lord  said  to  my  Lord,  Sit  thou  on  my  right  hand,  till  L 

37  make  thine  enemies  thy  footstool.  David  therefore  him- 
self calleth  him  Lord ;  and  whence  is  he  then  his  son  ? 
And  the  common  people  heard  him  gladly. 

In  the  course  of  His  public  teaching,  resumed 
after  the  series  of  encounters  just  closed,  Jesus 
challenges  the  familiar  dictum  of  the  religious 
teachers  of  Israel  that  the  promised  Messiah  is 
to  be  a  lineal  descendant  of  David  (see  x.  48, 
xi.  10  n.).  He  does  so  because  this  belief,  based 
on  such  O.T.  scriptures  as  Ps.  lxxxix.  3,  4,  Is.  xi.  1, 
Jer.  xxiii.  5,  had  gathered  about  it  worldly  expecta- 
tions of  a  restored  monarchy,  withdrawing  men's 
thoughts  from  more  spiritual  prophecies  of  the 
Christ  and  degrading  the  Messianic  ideal.  While 
this  conception  prevailed,  the  mind  of  the  nation 


i9o  Westminster  New  Testament 

was  closed  against  the  ideals  and  aims  of  Jesus. 
And  so  He  asks  whether,  with  any  consistency,  the 
scribes  can  really  hold  and  teach  this  view  of  the 
Messiah.  The  Christ,  son  of  David  !  But  that 
is  not  how  David  himself  speaks  of  Him.  In  an 
inspired  psalm  (Ps.  ex.)  he  writes  of  the  Messiah, 
as  the  scribes  admit,  in  language  which  exalts  Him 
far  above  the  relationship  of  son  to  father  or  the 
dignity  of  any  earthly  king  :  to  David  He  is  "  his 
Lord,"  seated  in  heaven  at  the  right  hand  of 
Jehovah.  The  whole  point  of  the  argument  as 
directed  against  the  scribes  is  to  show  that  their 
teaching  about  the  Christ  does  not  square  with 
their  own  interpretation  of  their  own  Scriptures, 
and  so  to  suggest  higher  thoughts  of  His  Person 
and  His  Mission.  Jesus  assumes,  with  the  scribes, 
that  the  psalm  was  written  by  David.  It  is  almost 
certain  that  it  was  not ;  but  this  finding  of  criticism 
affects  neither  the  force  nor  the  propriety  of  our 
Lord's  argument,  nor  is  His  authority  to  be  invoked 
on  a  question  of  authorship  which  did  not  come 
within  the  horizon  of  His  thought. 

36.  The  Lord.  I.e.,  Jehovah,  my  lord.  A  title 
of  respect,  especially  used  in  addressing  kings. 
Other  N.T.  reff.  to  this  passage  are  Acts  ii.  34,  35  ; 
1  Cor.  xv.  25 ;  Heb.  i.  13,  x.  13,  etc. 


Mark  xii.  38-40  ;  cf.  Luke  xx.  45-47 ;  Matt,  xxiii.  1-39. 
THE  SCRIBES. 

38  And  he  said  unto  them  in  his  doctrine,  Beware  of  the 
scribes,  which  love  to  go  in  long  clothing,  and  love  saluta- 

39  tions   in   the   marketplaces,    and    the   chief    seats   in    the 


St.   Mark  xii.  41-44  191 

40  synagogues,  and  the  uppermost  rooms  at  feasts  :  which 
devour  widows'  houses,  and  for  a  pretence  make  long 
prayers  :  these  shall  receive  greater  damnation. 

This  warning  against  the  scribes  as  a  class  (there 
were  exceptions,  vers.  28-34)  is  but  a  summary  of  the 
long  and  scathing  denunciation  of  the  scribes  and 
Pharisees  preserved  by  Matthew  (chap,  xxiii. ;  cf. 
also  Luke  xi.  37-54).  The  sins  condemned  are  vanity, 

avarice,  hypocrisy.  For  doctrine,  rooms,  dam- 
nation, R.V.  has  "teaching,  places,  condemnation." 
The  greater  condemnation  is  reserved  for  wicked- 
ness parading  as  piety. 


Mark  xii.  41-44 ;  cf.  Luke  xxi.  1-4. 
THE  WIDOW'S  "MITE." 

41  And  Jesus  sat  over  against  the  treasury,  and  beheld  how 
the  people  cast  money  into  the  treasury  :  and  many  that 

42  were  rich  cast  in  much.  And  there  came  a  certain  poor 
widow,  and  she  threw  in  two  mites,  which  make  a  farthing. 

43  And  he  called  unto  him  his  disciples,  and  saith  unto  them, 
Verily  I  say  unto  you,  That  this  poor  widow  hath  cast 
more  in,  than  all  they  which  have  cast  into  the  treasury  : 

44  for  all  they  did  cast  in  of  their  abundance  ;  but  she  of  her 
want  did  cast  in  all  that  she  had,  even  all  her  living. 

This  incident  as  placed  by  Mark  makes  a 
beautiful  close  to  the  last  stormy  day  of  Christ's 
public  teaching  :  the  simple  piety  of  a  poor  widow 
stands  out  in  contrast  with  the  splendid  hypocrisies 
just  denounced.  The  phrase  " the  widow's  mite" 
has  sacred  associations,  but  it  should  not  be 
forgotten  that  she  really  gave  two  mites,  when 
she  might  have  kept  back  one  for  her  needs. 


192 


Westminster  New  Testament 


41.  the  treasury.  A  colonnade  in  the 
"  Women's  Court "  of  the  Temple,  in  which  were 
placed  thirteen  chests  of  brass,  like  inverted 
trumpets,  to  receive  offerings  for  the  Temple- 
service  and  for  the  poor. 

42.  Lit.  "  one  poor  widow/'  singled  out  by  Jesus 
from  the  many  who  were  coming. 

mite.  The  smallest  of  Jewish  copper  coins,  2  to 
the  Roman  u  quadrans "  (farthing),  128  to  the 
"denarius"  (xii.  15):  worth  about  one-third  of 
an  English  farthing. 

44.  They  gave  out  of  what  was  superfluous  to 
them,  she  out  of  what  she  lacked  :  they  gave  much, 
she  gave  all. 

"Two  mites,  two  drops — yet  all  her  house  and  land — 
Falle  from  a  steady  heart  though  trembling  hand  : 
The  other's  wanton  wealth  foams  high  and  brave. 
The  other  cast  away;  she  only  gave." 

Richard  Crashaw. 


Mark  xiii. ;  cf.  Matt.  xxiv.  =  Luke  xxi.  5-36. 

THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  TEMPLE  AND 
THE  COMING  OF  THE  SON  OF  MAN. 

And  as  he  went  out  of  the  temple,  one  of  his  disciples 
saith  unto  him,  Master,  see  what  manner  of  stones   and 

2  what  buildings  are  here  !  And  Jesus  answering  said  unto 
him,  Seest  thou  these  great  buildings  ?  there  shall  not  be 
left  one  stone  upon  another,  that  shall  not  be  thrown  down. 

3  And  as  he  sat  upon  the  mount  of  Olives  over  against  the 
temple,  Peter  and  James  and  John  and  Andrew  asked  him 

4  privately,  Tell  us,  when  shall  these  things  be?  and  what 
shall  be  the  sign  when  all  these  things  shall  be  fulfilled  ? 

5  And  Jesus  answering  them  began  to  say,  Take  heed  lest 

6  any  man  deceive  you :  for  many  shall  come  in  my  name, 


St.   Mark  xiii.  i93 

7  saying,  I  am  Christ ;  and  shall  deceive  many.  And  when 
ye  shall  hear  of  wars  and  rumours  of  wars,  be  ye  not 
troubled  :  for  such  things  must  needs  be  ;  but  the  end  shall 

8  not  be  yet.  For  nation  shall  rise  against  nation,  and 
kingdom  against  kingdom  :  and  there  shall  be  earthquakes 
in  divers  places,  and  there  shall  be  famines  and  troubles  : 

9  these  are  the  beginnings  of  sorrows.  But  take  heed  to 
yourselves  :  for  they  shall  deliver  you  up  to  councils ;  and 
in  the  synagogues  ye  shall  be  beaten :  and  ye  shall  be 
brought  before  rulers  and  kings  for  my  sake,  for  a  testimony 

io  against   them.     And   the  gospel   must  first    be   published 

11  among  all  nations.  But  when  they  shall  lead  you,  and 
deliver  you  up,  take  no  thought  beforehand  what  ye  shall 
speak,  neither  do  ye  premeditate  :  but  whatsoever  shall  be 
given  you  in  that  hour,  that  speak  ye  :  for  it  is  not  ye  that 

12  speak,  but  the  Holy  Ghost.  Now  the  brother  shall  betray 
the  brother  to  death,  and  the  father  the  son ;  and  children 
shall  rise  up  against  their  parents,  and  shall  cause  them  to 

13  be  put  to  death.  And  ye  shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my 
name's  sake :  but  he  that  shall  endure  unto  the  end,  the 

14  same  shall  be  saved.  But  when  ye  shall  see  the  abomina- 
tion of  desolation,  spoken  of  by  Daniel  the  prophet, 
standing  where  it  ought  not,  (let  him  that  readeth  under- 
stand,) then  let  them  that  be  in  Judaea  flee  to  the  mountains  : 

15  and  let  him  that  is  on  the  housetop  not  go  down  into  the 
house,  neither  enter  therein,  to  take  any  thing  out  of  his 

16  house :    and   let   him  that   is  in   the  field   not   turn  back 

17  again  for  to  take  up  his  garment.  But  woe  to  them  that 
are  with  child,  and  to  them  that  give  suck  in  those  days  ! 

18  And    pray   ye   that    your    flight    be    not   in    the   winter. 

19  For  in  those  days  shall  be  affliction,  such  as  was  not  from 
the  beginning  of  the  creation  which  God  created  unto  this 

20  time,  neither  shall  be.  And  except  that  the  Lord  had 
shortened  those  days,  no  flesh  should  be  saved  :  but  for  the 
elect's  sake,  whom  he  hath  chosen,  he  hath  shortened  the 

21  days.     And  then  if  any  man  shall  say  to  you,  Lo,  here  is 

13 


i94  Westminster  New  Testament 

22  Christ ;  or,  lo,  he  is  there  ;  believe  him  not :  for  false 
Christs  and  false  prophets  shall  rise,  and  shall  shew  signs 
and  wonders,  to  seduce,  if  it  were  possible,  even  the  elect. 

23  But  take  ye  heed  :  behold,  I  have  foretold  you  all  things. 

24  But  in  those  days,  after  that  tribulation,  the  sun  shall  be 

25  darkened,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light,  and  the 
stars  of  heaven  shall  fall,  and  the  powers  that  are  in  heaven 

26  shall  be  shaken.     And  then  shall  they  see  the  Son  of  man 

27  coming  in  the  clouds  with  great  power  and  glory.  And 
then  shall  he  send  his  angels,  and  shall  gather  together 
his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from  the  uttermost  part  of 

28  the  earth  to  the  uttermost  part  of  heaven.  Now  learn  a 
parable  of  the  fig  tree  ;  When  her  branch  is  yet  tender,  and 

29  putteth  forth  leaves,  ye  know  that  summer  is  near :  so  ye 
in  like  manner,  when  ye  shall  see  these  things  come  to 

30  pass,  know  that  it  is  nigh,  even  at  the  doors.  Verily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  this  generation  shall  not  pass,  till  all  these 

31  things  be  done.     Heaven  and  earth  shall  pass  away :  but 

32  my  words  shall  not  pass  away.  But  of  that  day  and  that 
hour  knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  which  are  in 

33  heaven,  neither  the  Son,  but  the  Father.     Take  ye  heed, 

34  watch  and  pray  :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  time  is.  For 
the  Son  of  man  is  as  a  man  taking  a  far  journey,  who  left 
his  house,  and  gave  authority  to  his  servants,  and  to  every 
man    his    work,    and   commanded   the   porter   to   watch. 

35  Watch  ye  therefore  :  for  ye  know  not  when  the  master  of 
the  house  cometh,  at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cock- 

36  crowing,   or   in   the   morning :    lest   coming   suddenly   he 

37  find  you  sleeping.  And  what  I  say  unto  you  I  say  unto 
all,  Watch. 

Jesus  predicts  the  utter  destruction  of  the 
Temple :  in  answer  to  a  question  of  the  disciples 
as  to  when  this  event  will  happen  and  by  what  signs 
it  will  be  heralded,  He  utters  a  long  discourse  on 
tilings  to   come,  which    is    beset  with  grave  diffi- 


St.  Mark  xiii.  195 

culties  of  interpretation.  Comment  on  details 
must  be  prefaced  by  some  inquiry  into  the  meaning 
of  the  discourse  as  a  whole. 

(1)  The  question  of  the  disciples  concerns  only 
the  foretold  destruction  of  the  Temple.  (In  Matthew 
(xxiv.  3)  it  refers  also  to  "  thy  coming  and  the  end 
of  the  world  "  ;  but  either  the  disciples  imagined 
that  all  three  events  would  take  place  simultaneously, 
or  the  question  has  been  expanded  in  tradition  to 
suit  the  supposed  double  reference  of  the  answer. 
Mark's  form,  followed  by  Luke,  seems  more  original : 
a  single  prediction  is  followed  by  a  single  inquiry.) 

(2)  The  answer  has  been  commonly  interpreted 
— partly  because  of  the  double  question  in  Matthew 
and  partly  because  of  the  language  employed — as 
referring  not  to  one  event  but  to  two  :  the  one  im- 
minent, and  fulfilled  when  Jerusalem  was  destroyed 
in  70  a.d.  ;  the  other,  the  end  of  the  world,  still  to 
come.  But  the  prophecy  as  it  stands  really  does 
not  allow  of  this  double  reference  :  it  is  not  possible 
to  pick  out  some  parts  as  describing  the  nearer 
event  and  others  one  more  remote.  A  closely 
linked  succession  of  trials  and  catastrophes  leads 
up  to  the  one  consummation,  the  "  coming  of  the 
Son  of  man,"  ver.  26  (for  the  connecting  links 
see  vers.  7,  8,  13,  14,  24).  And  at  the  close  of  the 
one  continuous  prophecy  comes  the  clear  statement, 
"This  generation  shall  not  pass  away,  until  all 
these  things  be  accomplished." 

(3)  In  its  substance,  then,  the  prophecy  looks 
forward  to  a  great  crisis  within  that  generation. 
Allusions  to  this,  under  the  double  aspect  of  judg- 
ment, and  the  coming  of  the  kingdom  of  God  or  the 
coming  of  the  Son  of  man,  are  by  no  means  rare  in 
our  Lord's  teaching  (cf.  i.  15,  viii.  38,  ix.  1,  xiv.  62  ; 


i96  Westminster  New  Testament 

Luke  xviii.  8,  etc.) ;  while  in  ix.  1  it  is  specifically 
declared  that  some  of  the  disciples  will  live  to  see 
it.  It  would  be  strange,  too,  if  the  expectation  of 
the  Lord's  coming  manifestly  held  by  the  early 
Christian  Church  had  no  reasonable  ground  in 
Christ's  own  words:  cf.  Acts  i.  11,  iii.  18-21,  etc.  ; 
1  Thess.  i.  10,  ii.  19,  iii.  13,  iv.  13-v.  11  ;  2  Thess. 
ii.  1-12;  1  Cor.  i.  7,  8,  vii.  29-31,  xv.  51,  xvi.  22 
("  Our  Lord  cometh "),  etc.  The  evidence  sug- 
gests convincingly  that  "  our  Lord's  teaching  must 
have  been  largely  eschatological "  (Sanday). 

(4)  In  its  form  the  prophecy  has  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  Jewish  apocalyptic  literature,  a 
large  class  of  writing,  of  which  each  Canon  of  the 
Scriptures  contains  one  example  (Daniel  and 
Revelation).  Thus,  the  successive  stages  of  "the 
beginning  of  travail"  (ver.  8),  "tribulation" 
(ver.  19),  and  the  final  ushering  in  of  the  crisis 
(vers.  24-26)  are  familiar  apocalyptic  features 
(cf.  the  Woes  of  Rev.  ix.  12,  xi.  14):  so  is  the 
poetical  imagery  of  vers.  8,  14,  19,  20,  24-27. 
Other  portions  of  the  discourse  lack  this  apocalyptic 
element:  Jesus  refuses  to  prophesy  (ver.  32),  but 
exhorts  the  disciples  to  fidelity,  patience,  and 
watchfulness  (vers.  5,  6,  9-13,  21,  22,  33-37).  It 
is  this  blending  of  ethical  teaching,  entirely  charac- 
teristic of  Jesus,  and  paralleled  elsewhere  (cf.  Matt, 
x.  16-23)  with  prediction  which  in  form  and 
substance  is  strange  to  His  lips,  that  has  raised 
doubts  whether  the  discourse  has  not  suffered 
interpolation.  Within  recent  years  there  has  been 
the  supposed  "discovery"  that  certain  sections  can 
easily  be  separated  and  explained  as  a  "Little 
Apocalypse,"  probably  of  Jewish-Christian  origin, 
written   shortly   before   the   fall   of  Jerusalem  to 


St.  Mark  xiii.  197 

warn  and  comfort  the  Christian  community.  To 
this  source  are  attributed  (with  some  difference  of 
opinion  in  details)  vers.  7,  8,  14-20,  24-27.  But 
this  hypothesis,  not  free  from  inherent  difficulties, 
lays  hands  too  violently  on  the  fidelity  of  evangelic 
tradition  to  be  readily  accepted,  and  does  not, 
perhaps,  sufficiently  recognise  the  likelihood  that 
our  Lord  could  and  would,  at  this  supreme  crisis, 
expand  former  utterances  of  His  on  the  "last 
things  "  in  prophetic  discourse  (cf.  §  3  supra).  It  is 
certain  that  what  He  said  has  been  modified  in 
tradition  (as  the  differences  in  the  records  show), 
and  veiy  possibly  it  has  been  coloured  by  the 
thought  and  imagery  of  current  Apocalypses. 
The  discourse  may  be  composite,  but  this  leaves  it 
still  probable  that  even  its  apocalyptic  sections  are 
founded  upon  actual  words  of  Jesus. 

(5)  The  one  event  of  which  Jesus  spoke  was 
the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man  (ver.  26).  It  is  clear 
from  the  discourse  that  His  purpose,  like  that  of 
every  true  prophet,  was  ethical,  not  to  foretell,  but 
to  warn  and  forearm:  the  fact  of  which  He  spoke 
is  so  clothed  in  symbol  that  its  outlines  are  only 
vaguely  discerned.  But  was  the  event  He  had  in 
mind  fulfilled  within  that  generation,  and  if  so, 
how  ?  Our  answer  must  be  halting,  partly  because 
we  cannot  be  sure  that  we  have  His  words  without 
change  or  addition,  partly  because  "  when  we  get 
on  to  the  ground  of  the  ultimate  consciousness  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  we  must  restrain  our  words 
and  not  speak  as  though  we  knew  more  than  we 
do "  (Sanday).  To  the  High  Priest  He  declared 
"  henceforth  (Luke,  "from  this  time  forward  ")  ye  shall 
see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  at  the  right  hand  of 
power,  and  coming  on  the  clouds  of  heaven  "  (Matt. 


198  Westminster  New  Testament 

xxvi.  64),  as  though  the  a  coming  "  was  conceived 
as  continuous,  begun  when  He  left  the  earth. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  exact  meaning  of 
the  prediction  of  Mark  ix.  1,  it  found  an  ample 
fulfilment  at  Pentecost.  And  if  our  Lord's  in- 
sight into  the  moral  forces  at  work  towards 
judgment  and  destruction  upon  Judaism  found 
expression  in  prophecy  of  impending  doom,  that 
catastrophe  was  indeed  a  "  coming  of  the  Son 
of  man  in  power."  For  it  made  a  new  world,  and 
set  free  the  spiritual  forces  of  the  gospel  of  the 
kingdom  of  God. 

5.  The  opening  words  suggest  rather  a  rebuke  to 
the  question  than  an  answer  to  it ;  cf.  ver.  33,  and 
see  Luke  xvii.  20,  21. 

6.  I  am  Christ.  R.V.,  «  I  am  he."  The  in  my 
name  seems  to  mean,  pretending  to  powers 
which  belong  only  to  Messiah. 

1,  8.  No  attempt  need  be  made  to  identify  these 
warnings  with  actual  history :  they  are  part  of  the 
apocalyptic  picture  (cf.  Rev.  vi.),  the  beginning 
of  travail  out  of  which  the  new  order  is  to  be 
born.  The  stress  is  on  the  injunction  be  ye  not 
troubled. 

9-13.  Jesus  warns  His  disciples  of  what  they 
must  be  prepared  to  suffer  for  His  sake.  Parallels 
are  found  in  Matt.  x.  16-23  ;  Luke  xii.  11, 12,  in  con- 
texts where  there  is  no  question  of  signs  of  "  the 
end."  Here  the  apocalyptic  note  is  only  faintly 
heard  (in  vers.  10,  13)  and  does  not  appear  very 
relevant. 

9.  councils.  Local  Jewish  courts,  as  well  as  the 
Sanhedrin  of  Jerusalem. 

rulers.     Official  representatives  of  Rome. 


St.  Mark  xiii.  i99 

against  them.  Rather,  "  unto  them  "  (R.V.)  ; 
cf.  i.  44,  vi.  11.  The  purpose  of  these  trials  is  that 
the  gospel  may  be  preached  in  high  places  (cf.  Acts 
iv.,  v.,  vii.,  xxvi. ;  Phil.  i.  12-14,  etc.). 

10.  R.V.,  "preached  unto  all  the  nations."  The 
word  first  makes  this  predicted  world-wide  spread 
of  the  gospel  a  sign  of  "the  end  "  :  Matthew  adds 
explicitly,  "and  then  shall  the  end  come  "  (xxiv.  14). 
But  the  words  are  primarily  an  encouragement  to 
the  disciples  in  their  task  and  an  admonition  to 
"  take  heed  to  themselves  "  in  view  of  so  lofty  a 
responsibility.  So  far  as  their  fulfilment  is  to  be 
regarded  as  a  sign  of  "  the  end,"  they  do  not 
necessarily  carry  us  beyond  an  event  falling  within 
that  generation :  see  Matt.  x.  23  ;  Col.  i.  6,  23. 

1 1 .  take  no  thought.  R.  V.,  "  be  not  anxious  " 
(cf.  for  the  word  Matt.  vi.  25). 

neither  do  ye  premeditate.    R.V.  omits  this 

clause.  The  necessity  of  self-discipline  and  prepara- 
tion has  already  been  enjoined  in  "take  heed  to 
yourselves  "  :  this  promise  does  not  condone  neglect 
of  means,  but  assures  of  Divine  aid  in  emergency  of 
peril. 

12.  Now.  R.V.,  "And."  Profession  of  Christ 
will  cause  family  discord  and  unnatural  hatred. 

13.  All  this  is  to  be  endured :  hatred,  peril,  death 
itself  to  be  faced  with  courage  and  fidelity.  And  the 
promise  is  that  he  who  persists  in  such  endurance 
shall  be  saved,  i.e.  shall  survive  all  that  is  against 
him,  and  be  brought  safe  into  the  future  blessed- 
ness ;  cf.  1  Pet.  i.  9-  Luke  has  this  saying  in  the 
striking  form,  "  In  your  patience  ye  shall  win  your 
lives." 

14—23.  The  discourse  resumes  its  apocalyptic 
character,  interrupted  since  ver.  8  :  the  "  beginning 


200  Westminster  New  Testament 

of  travail"  is  succeeded  by  the  "tribulation/'  of 
an  intensity  graphically  pictured  in  vers.  19,  20. 
The  "when?"  and  "what  sign?"  of  ver.  4, 
hitherto  put  aside,  now  receive  answer.  Jesus 
speaks  of  a  mysterious  happening  which  was  to  be 
the  signal  for  precipitate  flight,  and  describes  in 
detail  the  horrors  attendant  on  an  event  as  yet 
forty  years  distant  in  the  future.  For  Luke's 
version  of  the  vaguer  indications  of  Mark  leaves  no 
doubt  that  the  Evangelists  understood  this  section 
of  the  prophecy  to  refer  to  the  siege  and  fall  of 
Jerusalem  (Mark  xiii.  14  =  Luke  xxi.  20,  "  But  when 
ye  see  Jerusalem  encompassed  with  armies  "  ;  xxi. 
24,  "Jerusalem  shall  be  trodden  down  of  the 
Gentiles ").  It  is  difficult  to  believe  that  the 
prophecy  as  it  stands  was  spoken  by  Jesus :  this 
doubt  is  confirmed  by  closer  study  of  Mark's  version 
and  of  the  differences  between  the  three  accounts. 

14.  This  verse  is  one  of  the  outstanding 
examples  of  the  priority  of  Mark:  see  Introduction. 

the  abomination  of  desolation.  The  word 
"abomination"  is  specially  used  in  the  O.T.  of 
idols  and  idol-worship  (cf.  Rom.  ii.  22,  "  abhorrest 
idols  ") ;  the  whole  phrase  is  taken  from  Dan.  xi. 
31,  xii.  11  (R.V.),  "the  abomination  that  maketh 
desolate."  Daniel's  prophecy  refers  to  events 
narrated  in  1  Mace,  i.,  the  attempt  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes  to  abolish  Judaism,  accompanied  by 
the  profanation  of  the  Temple,  the  suspension  of 
the  sacrifices,  and  (in  168  B.C.)  the  building  of  a 
small  idol-altar  ("  an  abomination  of  desolation," 
1  Mace.  i.  54)  upon  the  altar  of  burnt-offering. 
The  outlook  of  the  words  as  used  here  cannot  with 
certainty  be  referred  to  any  definite  event. 
Perhaps  they  mean  no  more  than  the  desecration 


St.  Mark  xiii.  201 

of  the  Holy  Land  by  heathen  armies  (so  Luke) ; 
or  they  may  express  the  dread  of  some  specific 
profanation  of  the  Temple  resembling  that  per- 
petrated by  Antiochus,  or  by  the  Emperor 
Caligula  in  attempting  to  erect  a  statue  of  himself. 

let  him  that  readeth  understand.  Attention 
is  called  to  the  importance  of  noting  and  under- 
standing this  sign  of  the  coming  tribulation.  The 
"  readeth "  shows  that  these  cannot  be  words  of 
Jesus:  He  would  have  said  "heareth."  (In 
Matthew,  where  He  makes  specific  reference  to 
"Daniel  the  prophet/'  the  words  might  possibly 
be  His  warning  to  the  reader  of  Daniel  to  under- 
stand what  he  reads :  not  very  naturally,  for  it  is 
not  Daniel's  prophecy  that  needs  to  be  under- 
stood, but  the  sign  given  by  the  fact  now  pre- 
dicted.) The  parenthesis  is  either  an  exceptional 
comment  from  the  Evangelist,  writing,  we  may 
suppose,  in  near  view  of  the  fulfilment  of  the 
prophecy,  or  it  belongs  to  a  writing  of  apocalyptic 
character  which  he  is  incorporating  in  his  record 
of  a  discourse  of  Jesus  (see  introductory  notes 
to  this  chapter,  §  4  :  for  a  parallel  in  an  apocalyptic 
writing  cf.  Rev.  xiii.  18). 

the  mountains.     A  natural  place  of  refuge. 

15-19-  The  urgency  of  the  need  for  flight,  the 
conditions  which  may  aggravate  its  distress,  and 
the  fierceness  of  the  tribulation  itself,  are  por- 
trayed in  imaginative  language. 

20.  The  Divine  mercy  intervenes,  for  the  elect's 
sake ;  else  all  must  perish.  The  past  tense 
regards  a  future  event  as  already  accomplished  in 
the  Divine  purpose. 

21-23.  A  return  to  the  theme  of  vers.  5,  6,  with 
greater  detail :  cf.  2  Thess.  ii.  3-12;  1  John  ii.  18. 


202  Westminster  New  Testament 

24-27.  The  consummation  to  which  all  that 
goes  before  has  led  up.  This  event  is  the  coming 
of  the  Son  of  man,  described  ill  language  borrowed 
from  Daniel  (cf.  xv.  62),  and  attended  by  portents  in 
the  heavens.  His  coming  is  not  to  be  separated 
from  the  events  described  in  the  preceding 
section :  it  takes  place  in  those  days,  after 
(Matthew  adds  "  immediately  ")  that  tribulation. 
The  details  of  the  description  are,  of  course,  not 
to  be  taken  literally:  they  are  the  attempt  of 
poetic  imagery  to  realise  what  it  means  that 
God  should  intervene  in  human  history  (cf.  Ps. 
xviii.  6-17).  If  the  prophecy  of  the  "coming  of 
the  Son  of  man"  found  fulfilment  in  Pentecost 
(see  introductory  notes,  §  5),  it  is  to  be  noted 
that  Peter  applies  to  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Spirit  a 
very  similar  prophecy  of  Joel  (Acts  ii.  19,  20) ;  if 
(as  the  sequence  here  suggests)  in  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem,  then  the  O.T.  furnishes  parallels  of 
like  word-painting  used  of  lesser  events  (Isa.  xiii. 
9,  10,  13,  of  the  destruction  of  Babylon;  Isa.  xxxiv. 
4,  5,  of  the  judgment  on  Edom). 

27.  The  "salvation"  of  vers.  13,  20.  Luke 
substitutes  "  Look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads ; 
because  your  redemption  draweth  nigh." 

28.  R.V.,  *  her  parable  ...  is  now  become 
tender." 

ye  know.  Pronoun  unemphatic :  it  is  a 
gracious  sign  which  everybody  can  read. 

29.  R.VV  " even  so  .  .  .  know  ye."  Emphatic: 
ye  disciples  who  have  been  warned  to  look  out  for 
these  "signs  of  the  times." 

it  is  nigh,  viz.  the  consummation  just 
described.     Luke  has  "  the  kingdom  of  God." 

30.  These  words  have  been  variously  interpreted 


St.  Mark  xiv.  i,  2  203 

to  allow  the  supposition  that  part  of  the  prophecy 
— the  coming  of  the  Son  of  man — still  awaits 
fulfilment.  They  can  only  mean  that  the  whole 
was  to  fall  within  that  generation. 

31.  In  spite  of  all  delay  and  doubt  ("  Where  is 
the  promise  of  his  coming  ?  "  2  Pet.  iii.  4),  His 
word  remains  irrevocably  sure. 

32.  A  real  ignorance,  belonging  to  the  human 
limitations  of  Jesus  ;  cf.  Acts  i.  7. 

33.  The  discourse  closes  with  reiterated  in- 
junction to  watchfulness,  an  ever  present  duty 
not  dependent  at  all  on  knowledge  of  "  times  or 
seasons."  At  this  point,  in  illustration  of  this 
duty,  each  of  the  Synoptics  goes  its  own  way. 
Matthew  appends  the  Parables  of  the  Ten  Virgins 
and  The  Talents,  with  other  matter. 

34.  The  disciple  is  trustee  for  his  absent 
Lord. 

35.  Names  for  the  four  watches  of  the  night : 
6-9,  9-12,  12-3,  3-6. 


Mark  xiv.  i,  2;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  1-5= Luke  xxii.  1,  2. 

THE  CONSPIRACY  OF  THE  PRIESTS. 

After  two  days  was  the  feast  of  the  passover,  and  of  un- 
leavened bread  :  and  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes 
sought  how  they  might  take  him  by  craft,  and  put  him  to 
2  death.  But  they  said,  Not  on  the  feast  day,  lest  there  be 
an  uproar  of  the  people. 

1.  It  is  the  whole  seven  days'  festival  which  is 
here  spoken  of  under  its  two  names,  derived  from 
the  meal  which  opened  it  and  the  ritual  avoidance 


204  Westminster  New  Testament 

of  leaven  while  it  continued ;  see  Ex.  xii.  This 
is  the  earliest  mention  of  the  Passover  in  the 
Synoptics  (except  in  Luke's  story  of  the  boyhood  of 
Jesus,  ii.  41)  and  the  first  indication  that  Jesus  had 
come  to  Jerusalem  at  the  feast-time. 

2.  The  purpose  of  xi.  18,  xii.  12,  was  now  taking 
shape  in  definite  plans  for  the  arrest  of  Jesus. 

But.  R.V.,  "for."  An  explanation  of  the  sought 
how,  and  of  the  need  for  craft. 

Not  on  the  feast  day.  Rather,  "  Not  during 
the  feast "  (R.V.).  A  counsel  of  prudence,  postponing 
action  till  the  festival  was  over  and  Jerusalem 
empty.  The  treachery  of  Judas  gave  them  an 
unlooked-for  opportunity,  and  enabled  them  to 
effect  the  arrest  quietly  on  the  very  evening  of  the 
Paschal  meal. 


Mark  xiv.  3-9 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  6-13 ;  John  xii.  1-8 
(Luke  vii.  36-50). 

THE  ANOINTING  AT  BETHANY. 

3  And  being  in  Bethany  in  the  house  of  Simon  the  leper,  as 
he  sat  at  meat,  there  came  a  woman  having  an  alabaster 
box  of  ointment  of  spikenard  very  precious  ;  and  she  brake 

4  the  box,  and  poured  it  on  his  head.  And  there  were  some 
that  had  indignation  within  themselves,  and  said,  Why  was 

5  this  waste  of  the  ointment  made  ?  For  it  might  have  been 
sold  for  more  than  three  hundred  pence,  and  have  been 

6  given  to  the  poor.  And  they  murmured  against  her.  And 
Jesus  said,  Let  her  alone  ;  why  trouble  ye  her  ?  she  hath 

7  wrought  a  good  work  on  me.  For  ye  have  the  poor  with 
you  always,  and  whensoever  ye  will  ye  may  do  them  good  : 

8  but  me  ye  have  not  always.  She  hath  done  what  she 
could  :  she  is  come  aforehand  to  anoint  my  body  to  the 


St.  Mark  xiv.  3-9  205 

9  burying.  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  Wheresoever  this  gospel 
shall  be  preached  throughout  the  whole  world,  this  also 
that  she  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of  for  a  memorial 
of  her. 

If  the  note  of  time  in  ver.  1  applies,  as  seems 
probable,  to  this  incident  and  its  sequel  (vers. 
10,  11),  the  anointing  at  Bethany  is  placed  on  the 
Wednesday  of  the  last  week.  For  by  "  after  two 
days"  Mark  should  mean  "on  the  morrow,"  just 
as  by  "after  three  days"  (viii.  31,  ix.  31,  x.  34) 
he  clearly  intends  "on  the  third  day,"  i.e.  the 
next  day  but  one.  On  the  Thursday  evening 
(ver.  17)  Jesus  and  His  disciples  ate  their 
Paschal  meal,  and  on  Friday  He  was  crucified. 

(The  Fourth  Gospel  places  this  incident  "six 
days  before  the  Passover  "  (John  xii.  1)  and  before 
the  Triumphal  Entry.  It  is  generally  supposed 
that  this  is  an  intentional  correction,  from  know- 
ledge, of  the  Synoptic  record  ;  we  have  no  data  to 
enable  us  to  say  with  certainty  which  is  right. 
As  placed  here,  the  picture  of  a  woman's  loving 
homage  makes  a  beautiful  contrast  to  the  hasten- 
ing tragedy ;  this  may  be  the  reason  for  its 
displacement.) 

3.  Simon  the  leper.  Not  otherwise  known, 
but  perhaps  one  of  the  lepers  cleansed  by  Jesus 
(Matt.  xi.  5).  Luke  (who  omits  this  incident) 
tells  of  an  earlier  anointing,  also  in  the  house  of 
one  Simon,  a  Pharisee,  by  a  woman  who  was  a 
"sinner"  (Luke  vii.  36-50).  The  circumstances 
are  very  different,  and  the  name  Simon  is  common. 
Another  supposed  link  of  connection  is  in  the 
name  of  the  woman.  The  Fourth  Gospel  tells  us 
that  it  was  Mary,  sister  of  Martha  and  Lazarus, 


206  Westminster  New  Testament 

who  anointed  Jesus  at  Bethany ;  the  Lukan 
incident  is  followed  by  the  mention  of  certain 
women  who  ministered  to  Jesus  of  their  substance, 
one  of  them  being  Mary  Magdalene  "  from  whom 
seven  devils  had  gone  out "  (Luke  viii.  2).  This 
phrase  and  the  proximity  of  mention  are  the 
only  grounds  for  the  traditional  identification  of 
Mary  Magdalene  with  the  woman  who  was  a 
"  sinner/'  and  there  is  still  less  reason  for  identify- 
ing Mary  of  Bethany  with  either. 

spikenard.  The  Greek  is  pistic  nard.  Nard  is 
a  fragrant  oil  from  an  Indian  plant ;  the  adjective 
is  of  doubtful  meaning  (see  R.V.  marg.),  genuine 
being  perhaps  most  likely.  "Spikenard,"  i.e.  spiked 
nard,  supposed  to  refer  to  the  spike-like  shoots 
of  the  plant,  is  taken  from  the  Vulgate  nardi  spicati, 
probably  a  guess  suggested  by  similarity  of  sound 
with  the  unknown  Greek  word. 

The  perfuming  of  the  hair  was  one  of  the 
usual  preliminaries  to  a  meal  (see  Luke  vii.  44—46)  ; 
the  point  is  the  lavish  use  (John  says  "a  pound  ") 
of  costliest  ointment.  John  adds  details  which 
seem  to  come  from  the  earlier  narrative  of  Luke 
(John  xii.  3). 

4.  some.  Matthew,  "  the  disciples "  ;  John, 
"Judas  Iscariot." 

Wily.     R.V.,  "To  what  purpose." 

waste.  The  verdict  of  minds  which  could 
see  no  "utility"  in  this  impulsive  outgoing  of 
sympathy  and  love. 

"  With  murmur  and  nod,  they  called  it  waste  : 
Their  love  they  could  endure  ; 
Her's  ached,  a  prisoner  in  her  breast, 
And  she  forgot  the  poor." 

George  MacDonald. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  10,  n  207 

6.  Jesus  rebukes  the  interference.  Who  were  they 
that  they  should  take  upon  themselves  to  judge  ? 
And  their  judgment  of  "utility"  was  all  wrong: 
it  was  a  good  work. 

7.  Good,  because  she  instinctively  saw  a  need 
and  an  opportunity,  in  the  lonely  sorrow  of  the 
Master,  which  would  never  recur. 

8.  Good,  because  she  followed  the  uncalculating 
impulse  to  do  the  best  in  her  power.  Such 
impulses  have  a  way  of  meeting  needs  in  un- 
expected fashion.  This  one  chimed  in  with  the 
sad  thoughts  of  Jesus  and  brought  j  ust  the  comfort 
and  strength  He  craved. 

9.  R.V.,  "  the  gospel."  Jesus  assumes  that  the 
gospel  to  be  preached  after  His  death  will  centre 
in  the  facts  and  teachings  of  His  own  ministry 
(see  n.  on  i.  1).  It  will  go  out  into  all  the  world, 
and  this  story  will  go  with  it ;  that  is  His  inter- 
pretation of  the  intrinsic  worth  and  beauty  of  a 
simple  deed.  He,  whose  word  was  truth,  did  not 
magnify  it ;  He  judged  it,  and  declared  it  for 
what  it  was.  And  the  moral  is  that  we  learn  to  ad- 
just, so  far  as  we  may,  our  standard  of  values  to  His. 


Mark  xiv.  10,  n  ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  14-16  = 
Luke  xxii.  3-6. 

THE  TREACHERY  OF  JUDAS. 

10  And  Judas  Iscariot,  one  of  the  twelve,  went  unto  the  chief 

11  priests,  to  betray  him  unto  them.  And  when  they  heard 
it,  they  were  glad,  and  promised  to  give  him  money.  And 
he  sought  how  he  might  conveniently  betray  him. 

10.  Judas  Iscariot.     See  n.  on  iii.   19,  and  cf. 
ver.  43.     There  seems  to  be  no  connection  between 


208  Westminster  New  Testament 

this  action  of  Judas  and  the  anointing,  except 
that  they  were  events  of  the  same  day.  It  is  true 
that  John  singles  out  Judas  as  especially  angry 
with  the  woman,  but  he  gives  no  hint  that  this 
determined  the  treachery.  Judas  himself  is  an 
enigma,  and  very  various  motives  have  been 
assigned  to  his  deed.  "  If  he  had  not^at  first 
believed  in  Jesus,  and  if  he  had  not  given  evidence 
of  his  zeal  for  the  gospel,  he  would  never  have 
been  admitted  into  the  number  of  the  Twelve.  .  .  . 
But  Judas  proved  refractory  to  the  education  which 
the  Saviour  gave  to  His  disciples :  he  did  not 
understand  why  Jesus  ran  the  risk  of  death,  and 
when  he  saw,  doubtless  before  the  other  disciples, 
absorbed  in  their  faith,  the  growing  peril  which 
gathered  round  Him  who  claimed  to  be  the  Christ, 
he  felt  all  his  hopes  crumble :  Jesus  was  not  the 
Messiah  of  whom  he  had  dreamed,  the  triumph- 
ant King  who  beats  down  His  enemies,  who  dis- 
tributes honours  and  riches  to  His  friends.  His 
treacherous  act  would  extricate  him,  he  thought, 
from  a  false  situation.  It  does  not  seem  that 
Judas,  any  more  than  the  judges  and  the  exe- 
cutioners of  Jesus,  fully  realised  his  crime"  (Loisy). 
11.  In  what  we  may  hope  is  the  less  original 
account  of  Matthew,  he  "bargained"  for  thirty 
pieces  of  silver,  the  price  of  a  slave !  The  motive 
of  avarice  is  not  here  emphasised. 


Mark  xiv.  12-16 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  17-19= 
Luke  xxii.  7-13. 

PREPARATION  FOR  THE  PASSOVER. 

12  And  the  first  day  of  unleavened  bread,  when  they  killed 
the  passover,  his  disciples  said   unto  him,    Where  wilt 


St.  Mark  xiv.  12-16  209 

thou  that  we  go  and  prepare  that  thou  mayest   eat  the 

13  passover?  And  he  sendeth  forth  two  of  his  disciples, 
and  saith  unto  them,  Go  ye  into  the  city,  and  there  shall 
meet  you  a  man  bearing  a  pitcher  of  water  :  follow  him. 

14  And  wheresoever  he  shall  go  in,  say  ye  to  the  goodman 
of  the  house,  The  Master  saith,  Where  is  the  guest- 
chamber,  where  I  shall  eat  the  passover  with  my  disciples  ? 

15  And  he  will  shew  you  a  large  upper  room  furnished  and 

16  prepared  :  there  make  ready  for  us.  And  his  disciples 
went  forth,  and  came  into  the  city,  and  found  as  he  had 
said  unto  them  :  and  they  made  ready  the  passover. 

12.  The  date  is  the  14th  Nisan,  on  the  after- 
noon of  which  day  the  lambs  were  slain  for  the 
Passover  meal  observed  the  same  evening,  that  is, 
after  the  15th  ftisan  had  begun.  It  is  perfectly 
clear  from  this  account  (with  which  Matthew 
and  Luke  agree)  that  the  Last  Supper  was  the 
Passover  (vers.  12,  14,  16),  and  that,  in  con- 
sequence, Jesus  was  crucified  on  the  15th  Nisan. 
(The  Fourth  Gospel  alters  this  to  the  14th,  so 
that  the  Last  Supper  would  be  an  anticipation  of 
the  Paschal  meal :  see  John  xiii.  1,  xviii.  28, 
xix.  14,  31.) 

13.  The  arrangements  may  well  have  been  made 
beforehand,  and  the  signal,  in  the  need  for  secrecy, 
agreed  upon.  Jesus  could  be  cautious  till  His  hour 
was  come ;  cf.  Luke  xxii.  15. 

14.  The  Master.  The  owner  of  the  house 
was  evidently  a  disciple.  It  is  an  interesting 
conjecture  that  he  was  the  father  of  Mark  himself, 
perhaps  also  the  owner  of  the  garden  of  Gethse- 
mane.  This  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  "the 
house  of  Mary  the  mother  of  Mark"  was  after- 
wards   a    Christian    centre    in    Jerusalem    (Acts 

14 


210  Westminster  New  Testament 

xii.  12).  A  further  detail  in  this  interpretation  of 
scattered  hints  is  that  the  "young  man  "  of  ver.  51 
was  Mark,  the  son  of  the  house,  roused  perhaps 
from  sleep  by  the  arrival  of  the  multitude  in  search 
of  Jesus  after  He  and  the  disciples  had  left  for 
Gethseniane,  and  following  hurriedly,  clad  only  in 
a  covering  snatched  from  his  bed,  to  see  the  end. 
See  n.  on  ver.  51. 


Mark  xiv.  17-26 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  20-30 ;  Luke  xxii. 
14-30  ;  John  xiii.  21-30. 

THE  LAST  SUPPER. 

17  And  in   the   evening  he   cometh  with  the  twelve.     And 

18  as  they  sat  and  did  eat,  Jesus  said,  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 

19  one  of  you  which  eateth  with  me  shall  betray  me.  And 
they  began  to  be  sorrowful,  and  to  say  unto  him  one  by 

20  one,  Is  it  I  ?  and  another  said,  Is  it  I  ?  And  he  answered 
and  said  unto  them,  It  is  one  of  the  twelve,  that  dippeth 

21  with  me  in  the  dish.  The  Son  of  man  indeed  goeth,  as  it 
is  written  of  him  :  but  woe  to  that  man  by  whom  the^  Son 
of  man  is  betrayed  !  good  were  it  for  that  man  if  he  had 

22  never  been  born.  And  as  they  did  eat,  Jesus  took  bread, 
and  blessed,  and  brake  it,  and  gave  to  them,  and  said, 

23  Take,  eat :  this  is  my  body.  And  he  took  the  cup,  and  when 
he  had  given  thanks,  he  gave  it  to  them  :  and  they  all 

24  drank  of  it.     And  he  said  unto  them,  This  is  my  blood 

25  of  the  new  testament,  which  is  shed  for  many.  Verily 
I  say  unto  you,  I  will  drink  no  more  of  the  fruit  of  the 
vine,  until  that  day  that  I  drink  it  new  in  the  kingdom  of 

26  God.  And  when  they  had  sung  an  hymn,  they  went  out 
into  the  mount  of  Olives. 

18.  as  they  were  eating.    Again  in  ver.  22. 
The  progress  of  the  Paschal  meal  was  interrupted 


St.  Mark  xiv.  17-26         211 

by  two  memorable  incidents,  the  prediction  of  the 
betrayal  and  the  Institution  of  the  "Lord's  Supper.'' 

19.  A  pained  and  bewildered  question.  Surely 
not  I? 

20.  dippeth,  etc.  Morsels  of  the  unleavened 
cakes  were  dipped  into  a  kind  of  sauce  (charoseth). 
This  simply  repeats  the  assertion  of  ver.  1 8,  "  one 
of  you  which  eateth  with  me/'  and  does  not  give 
any  clearer  indication  of  who  the  traitor  is.  The 
sting  of  the  treachery  is  that  it  is  the  act  of  a 
friend.  It  is  probable  that  the  words  of  Ps.  xli.  9 
were  in  our  Lord's  mind  (cf.  John  xiii.  1 8).  Matthew 
and  John  are  different  (Matt.  xxvi.  25 ;  John  xiii.  26). 

21.  goeth.  Through  the  gateway  of  death. 
Jesus  was  sure  this  was  the  Divine  will  (cf.  viii.  31, 
ix.  31,  x.  33)  and  also  that  it  was  written  in  the 
O.T.  Scriptures.  Isaiah's  prophecy  of  the  suffering 
Servant  of  Jehovah  was  doubtless  in  His  thoughts 
(cf.  Acts  viii.  32  ;   1  Pet.  ii.  21-25). 

WOC  Cf.  ix.  42  ;  not  vindictive,  but  declaratory 
of  inevitable  retribution. 

22.  During  the  meal  (there  is  no  stress  at  all  on 
the  Passover  ritual)  He  took  one  of  the  small  round 
cakes,  offered  thanks  to  God  as  the  Giver,  broke  it 
and  gave  a  piece  to  each  disciple,  adding  the 
mystic  words,  "Take  ye:  this  is  my  body" 
(R.V.). 

23.  24.  "And  he  took  a  cup"  (R.V.),  offered 
thanks,  and  passed  it  round  ;  then,  when  all  had 
drunk,  declared,  "  This  is  my  blood  of  the 
covenant,  which  is  shed  for  many  "  (R.V.). 

It  is  not  possible  here  to  enter  into  the  questions 
raised  by  a  comparison  between  this  account  of  the 
Institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper  and  those  given 
by  Matthew  and,  especially,  by   Luke   and    Paul 


212  Westminster  New  Testament 

(1  Cor.  xi.).  The  simplicity  of  Mark's  record  will 
be  noted.  Jesus  had  spoken  of  His  betrayal ;  now, 
in  double  symbol,  He  tells  how  freely  He  goes  to 
death  for  the  sake  of  those  for  whom  He  dies. 
The  stress  is  on  the  giving  of  His  life  and  on  the 
appropriation  of  the  gift  by  the  disciples.  Of 
interpretation  there  is  little  more  than  in  the 
saying  of  x.  45  (see  note) :  the  benefits  conferred 
on  "many"  by  His  death,  likened  then  to  a 
"ransom/'  are  now  those  of  a  "covenant,"  ratified 
by  blood  (cf.  Ex.  xxiv.  6-8).  "Christ  regards 
His  death  as  a  sacrifice  by  which  the  new  con- 
ditions of  life  in  the  kingdom  He  came  to  set  up 
are  to  be  introduced  "  (Menzies). 

25.  At  once  a  solemn  assertion  that  this  is  His 
last  earthly  meal  and  an  assurance  of  the  heavenly 
banquet  (see  n.  on  x.  37). 

the  fruit  of  the  vine.  A  reminiscence  of  the 
opening  benediction  of  the  Paschal  meal,  "  Blessed 
be  God  who  hath  created  the  fruit  of  the  vine." 

new  refers  to  the  new  conditions  of  communion 
in  the  kingdom. 

26.  hymn.  The  last  part  of  the  Hallel  which 
was  chanted  at  stated  points  of  the  Paschal  ritual. 
The  contents  cannot  be  exactly  determined,  but  it 
comprised  Psalms  cxv.-cxviii.,  and  possibly  cxiii., 
cxiv.,  cxx.-cxxxvi.  Whether  it  closed  with  Ps.  cxviii. 
or  Ps.  cxxxvi.,  the  last  words  of  Jesus  and  His  dis- 
ciples, before  they  went  out  into  the  night,  were 
words  of  praise  :  "  O  give  thanks  unto  the  Lord  ;  for 
he  is  good :  for  his  mercy  endureth  for  ever." 


St.  Mark  xiv.  27-31  213 


Mark  xiv.  27-31  ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  31-35  (Luke  xxii. 
31-38  ;  John  xiii.  36-38). 

ON  THE  WAY  TO  GETHSEMANE. 

27  And  Jesus  saith  unto  them,  All  ye  shall  be  offended 
because  of  me  this  night :  for  it  is  written,  /  will  smite  the 

28  shepherd,    and  the   sheep  shall  be  scattered.      But    after 

29  that  I  am  risen,  I  will  go  before  you  into  Galilee.  But 
Peter  said  unto  him,  Although  all  shall  be  offended,  yet 

30  will  not  I.  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Verily  I  say  unto 
thee,  that  this  day,  even  in  this  night,  before   the   cock 

31  crow  twice,  thou  shalt  deny  me  thrice.  But  he  spake  the 
more  vehemently,  If  I  should  die  with  thee,  I  will  not 
deny  thee  in  any  wise.     Likewise  also  said  they  all. 

27.  The  stumbling  would  come  from  lack  of 
courage,  not  of  faith.  The  quotation  is  from 
Zech.  xiii.  7,  freely  applied :  it  is  interesting  to 
note  that  the  previous  verse  of  the  prophecy 
speaks  of  being  "wounded  in  the  house  of  my 
friends  "  (cf.  n.  on  ver.  20). 

28.  Cf.  Matt,  xxviii.  10.  The  precise  prediction 
is  not  natural  here,  and  disturbs  the  connection 
between  ver.  27  and  ver.  29. 

30.  twice.  Peculiar  to  Mark,  possibly  in  refer- 
ence to  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  the  "  cock- 
crow "  watch  (midnight  to  3  a.m.,  xiii.  35).  But  so 
precise  a  prediction  has  something  artificial  about 
it,  whereas  "  before  cock-crow "  is  quite  natural. 
Some  authorities  omit  "twice":  see  notes  on 
vers.  68,  72. 

Compare  the  versions  of  this  conversation  in 
Luke  xxii.  31-34  and  John  xiii.  36-38. 


2i4  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  xiv.  32-42 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  36-46 ;  Luke  xxii. 
39-46. 

GETHSEMANE. 

32  And  they  came  to  a  place  which  was  named  Gethsemane  : 
and  he  saith  to  his  disciples,  Sit  ye  here,  while  I  shall  pray. 

33  And  he  taketh  with  him  Peter  and  James  and  John,  and 

34  began  to  be  sore  amazed,  and  to  be  very  heavy ;  and 
saith   unto   them,  My   soul   is   exceeding   sorrowful   unto 

35  death  :  tarry  ye  here,  and  watch.  And  he  went  forward  a 
little,  and  fell  on  the  ground,  and  prayed  that,  if  it  were 

36  possible,  the  hour  might  pass  from  him.  And  he  said, 
Abba,  Father,  all  things  are  possible  unto  thee  ;  take  away 
this  cup  from  me  :  nevertheless  not  what  I  will,  but  what 

37  thou  wilt.  And  he  cometh,  and  findeth  them  sleeping,  and 
saith  unto  Peter,  Simon,  sleepest  thou  ?  couldest  not  thou 

38  watch  one  hour  ?  Watch  ye  and  pray,  lest  ye  enter  into 
temptation.     The  spirit  truly  is  ready,  but  the  flesh  is  weak. 

39  And  again  he  went  away,  and  prayed,  and  spake  the  same 

40  words.  And  when  he  returned,  he  found  them  asleep 
again,  (for  their  eyes  were  heavy,)  neither  wist  they  what 

41  to  answer  him.  And  he  cometh  the  third  time,  and  saith 
unto  them,  Sleep  on  now,  and  take  your  rest :  it  is  enough, 
the  hour  is  come  ;  behold,  the  Son  of  man  is  betrayed  into 

42  the  hands  of  sinners.  Rise  up,  let  us  go  ;  lo,  he  that 
betrayeth  me  is  at  hand. 

32.  The  place  was  on  the  Mount  of  Olives 
(ver.  26).  Luke,  who  does  not  give  the  name, 
seems  to  suggest  that  it  was  here  that  Jesus  had 
"lodged"  night  by  night  during  this  last  week 
(cf.  Luke  xxii.  39  with  xxi.  31 ;  see  n.  on  xi.  11). 
This  would  explain  how  it  was  that  Judas  "  knew 
the  place "  (John  xviii.  2),  and  partly  account  for 
the  sleep  of  the  disciples. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  32-42  215 

Gethsemane.  Lit.  "oil-press."  Perhaps  a 
plantation  (John  calls  it  "  a  garden ")  of  olive 
trees,  with  apparatus  for  extracting  the  oil.  Jesus 
entered  the  walled  enclosure  with  the  chosen  three 
(cf.  v.  37,  ix.  2),  leaving  the  others  at  the  entrance 
until  He  should  have  prayed  (see  n.  on  i.  35). 

33.  The  distress  of  Jesus  was  very  manifest  to 
the  three,  and  is  frankly  recorded.  There  was  an 
element  of  amazement  in  it  (see  n.  on  i.  27). 
"  His  first  feeling  was  one  of  terrified  surprise. 
Long  as  He  had  foreseen  the  Passion,  when  it 
came  clearly  into  view  its  terrors  exceeded  His 
anticipations"  (Swete).  Luke  omits  this  and 
greatly  abbreviates  the  narrative  (the  two  verses 
Luke  xxii.  43,  44,  are  of  doubtful  authenticity). 

34.  My  soul  is  exceeding  sorrowful.  The 
phrase  is  from  Ps.  xlii.  5,  11,  xliii.  5,  and  must 
have  carried  with  it  in  our  Lord's  thoughts  the 
Psalmist's  next  words,  "  Hope  thou  in  God,  for  I 
shall  yet  praise  him."     But  this  sorrow  was  unto 

death. 

tarry  ye  here  and  watch.  Jesus  must  bear 
His  sorrow  alone  and  overcome  it  by  prayer  ;  but 
it  will  be  a  support  to  feel  that  His  friends  are 
near  and  watching  "with  him"  (Matthew). 

35.  The  words  of  the  prayer  vary  in  the  accounts  : 
its  substance  is  one  and  the  same.  It  is  intensely 
real,  and  its  significance's  not  to  be  accommodated 
to  any  presuppositions.  The  Synoptists  tell  us, 
apparently  on  the  testimony  of  those  who  were 
with  Him  in  the  garden,  that  Jesus  threw  His 
whole  soul  into  the  supplication  that  even  now 
His  Father  would  save  him  from  death,  but  only 
if  it  were  possible.  It  was  not,  and  the  prayer 
found  its  answer  in  the  strength  that  enabled  Jesus 


216  Westminster  New  Testament 

to  say  out  of  His  exceeding  sorrow,  Nevertheless 
not  what  I  will,  but  what  thou  wilt  (see  n.  on 
ver.  41). 

36.  Abba.  I.e.,  "Father,"  the  Aramaic  word 
spoken  by  Jesus  (cf.  v.  41,  vii.  34).  The  Greek 
word  for  Father  cannot  be  added  as  an  interpreta- 
tion (which  would  be  quite  inappropriate  in  fervent 
prayer) :  it  would  seem  that  Abba  became  a 
hallowed  formula  of  invocation,  used  even  by  Greek- 
speaking  Jews  as  a  sort  of  proper  name  for  God,  to 
which  the  title  Father  could  be  added  without  re- 
dundancy (only  here  and  Rom.  viii.  15  ;  Gal.  iv.  6). 

Cup.     See  n.  on  x.  38. 

37.  The  reproach  is  addressed  to  Peter,  but  in 
Matthew  the  verb  is  plural,  "  Could  ye  not  watch  ?  " 
The  sleep  at  such  a  crisis  is  a  psychological  problem  : 
the  fidelity  with  which  the  record  tells  how  the 
disciples  failed  their  Lord  in  His  sore  need  is 
striking. 

38.  They  had  failed  Him,  but  His  concern  is  for 
them.  Eager  souls  they  were  (ver.  31),  loyal  and 
loving,  but  the  flesh  (did  He  not  know  it  ?) 
shrinks  from  danger  and  death.  Taken  unawares, 
they  might  be  surprised  into  cowardice  before  the 
forces  of  the  Spirit  had  time  to  rally  and  assert 
themselves.  Let  them  be  on  the  alert,  with  mind 
and  heart  ever  turned  in  a  habit  of  prayer  to  the 
strength  which  is  with  God.  What  the  tempta- 
tion meant  is  seen  at  ver.  50. 

40.  Cf.  ix.  6 :  they  were  helpless,  but  without 
excuse. 

41.  Sleep  on  now.  The  words  are  hardly 
ironical  (even  with  "  a  lofty  and  profound  irony," 
Chadwick),  but  rather  mean  that  the  need  of  ver.  34 
is  past  and  the  victory  won. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  43-52  217 

it  is  enough.  The  Greek  word  is  of  doubtful 
interpretation,  but  "it  marks  the  closing  of  the 
scene  just  narrated,  with  its  awful  tension.  The 
former  situation  is  dismissed,  and  the  new  one 
accepted"  (Menzies).  And  it  would  seem  that 
even  as  He  speaks  He  becomes  aware  of  the 
approach  of  those  who  had  come  to  arrest  Him. 
The  words  with  which  He  calmly  accepts  so 
bitter  a  fate  reflect  the  agony  as  well  as  the  triumph 
of  Gethsemane.  The  Son  of  man,  the  Messiah, 
betrayed  by  His  friend  into  the  hands  of 
Sinners,  those  who  had,  with  malignant  hatred, 
refused  and  resisted  Him !  "  This  utterance  makes 
it  clear  that  the  struggle  of  Gethsemane  did 
not  arise  out  of  Jesus'  apprehension  of  personal 
pain  and.  reproach,  but  was  largely  Messianic " 
(Menzies). 

42.  Rise  from  the  ground  and  let  us  go  worthily 
to  meet  our  destiny. 


Mark  xiv.  43-52;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  47-56  =  Luke  xxii. 
47-53  (John  xviii.  1-11). 

THE  ARREST  OF  JESUS. 

43  And  immediately,  while  he  yet  spake,  cometh  Judas,  one 
of  the  twelve,  and  with  him  a  great  multitude  with  swords 
and  staves,  from  the  chief  priests  and  the  scribes  and  the 

44  elders.  And  he  that  betrayed  him  had  given  them  a  token, 
saying,   Whomsoever  I  shall  kiss,  that  same  is  he  ;  take 

45  him,  and  lead  him  away  safely.  And  as  soon  as  he  was 
come,   he  goeth   straightway  to  him,  and  saith,  Master, 

46  Master  ;  and  kissed  him.     And  they  laid  their  hands  on 

47  him,  and  took  him.  And  one  of  them  that  stood  by  drew 
a  sword,  and  smote  a  servant  of  the  high  priest,  and  cut 


218  Westminster  New  Testament 

48  off  his  ear.     And  Jesus   answered   and   said   unto  them, 
Are  ye  come  out,  as  against  a  thief,  with  swords  and  with 

49  staves  to  take  me  ?     I  was  daily  with  you  in  the  temple 
teaching,  and  ye  took  me  not  :  but  the  scriptures  must  be 

50  fulfilled.     And  they  all  forsook  him,  and  fled.     And  there 

51  followed  him  a  certain  young  man,  having  a  linen  cloth 
cast  about  his  naked  body  ;  and  the  young  men  laid  hold 

52  on  him :  and  he  left  the  linen  cloth,  and  fled  from  them 
naked. 

43.  The  description  suggests  a  rabble,  led  by 
Judas  and  servants  of  the  high  priest  (ver,  47). 
The  Roman  authorities  have  no  part  in  the  arrest 
(John  is  different),  and  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  was 
even  an  official  act  of  the  Sanhedrin.  The  priests 
acted  first  and  got  their  sanction  afterwards. 

44.  Jesus  would  not  be  known  to  all,  and  it  was  dark. 

45.  Master,  master.  R.V.  simply, "  Rabbi."  In 
Matthew  "  Hail,  Rabbi "  ;  in  Luke  no  word  of 
greeting. 

kissed.  The  word  used  is  intensive,  "  kissed  him 
effusively."  This,  and  the  general  Scripture  usage 
of  the  kiss,  make  it  probable  that  this  was  not  the 
disciple's  kissing  of  his  teacher's  hand  in  token  of 
respect,  but  a  kiss  of  affection  upon  the  cheek. 

46.  Jesus  makes  no  reply  to  Judas  ;  cf.  Matt, 
xxvi.  50  (R.V.)  and  Luke  xxii.  48. 

47.  This  incident  is  related  without  sequel :  in 
the  other  accounts  the  act  is  rebuked  by  Jesus. 
Luke  alone  says  that  He  healed  the  ear. 

48.  Jesus  makes  indignant  protest  against  the 
manner  of  His  arrest.  It  could  only  be  in  His 
teaching  that  He  had  offended,  and  as  a  teacher 
He  should  have  been  quietly  taken ;  instead,  He  is 
seized  with  the  violence  used  against  a  dangerous 
bandit  and  outlaw. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  53-65  219 

49.  the  scriptures.  Cf.  ver.  21.  In  Luke's 
narrative  (xxii.  37)  Jesus  had  already  applied  to 
Himself  the  words  of  Isa.  liii.  12,  "  And  he  was 
numbered  with  the  transgressors." 

50.  This  tragic  desertion  is  the  last  word  of  this 
Gospel  about  the  disciples,  with  the  exception  of 
Peter,  "who  followed  afar  off"  (ver.  54). 

51.  Cf.  Amosii.  16.  "  Every  possible  hypothesis 
has  been  put  forward  on  the  subject  of  this 
mysterious  individual"  (Loisy).  The  incident  is 
peculiar  to  this  Gospel.  It  may  be  a  chance 
reminiscence  of  some  eye-witness  which  has  come 
to  Mark's  knowledge  and  which  he  inserts,  trivial 
though  it  be,  to  heighten  his  picture  of  Jesus 
abandoned  to  His  foes.  Or  the  young  man  may 
have  been  Mark  himself  (see  n.  on  ver.  14),  who 
chooses  this  way  of  leaving  his  "signature  in  a 
dark  corner  of  his  picture." 


Mark  xiv.  53-65 ;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  57-68  ;  Luke  *xii. 
54>  55,  63-65  (xxii.  66-71). 

THE  TRIAL  BEFORE  THE  HIGH  PRIEST. 

53  And  they  led  Jesus  away  to  the  high  priest :  and  with  him 
were  assembled  all  the  chief  priests  and  the  elders  and  the 

54  scribes.     And  Peter  followed  him  afar  off,  even  into  the 
palace  of  the  high  priest  :  and  he  sat  with  the  servants,  and 

55  warmed  himself  at  the  fire.     And  the  chief  priests  and  all 
the  council  sought  for  witness  against  Jesus  to  put  him  to 

56  death  ;    and  found   none.     For   many  bare   false  witness 

57  against  him,  but  their  witness  agreed  not  together.     And 
there  arose  certain,  and   bare  false  witness   against  him, 

58  saying,  We  heard   him   say,    I   will   destroy  this   temple 
that  is  made  with   hands,  and   within   three  days  I  will 

59  build   another  made  without  hands.     But  neither  so  did 


220  Westminster  New  Testament 

60  their  witness  agree  together.  And  the  high  priest  stood 
up  in  the  midst,  and  asked  Jesus,  saying,  Answerest  thou 
nothing?   what  is   it  which   these  witness   against   thee? 

61  But  he  held  his  peace,  and  answered  nothing.  Again  the 
high  priest  asked  him,  and  said  unto  him,  Art  thou  the 

62  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  ?  And  Jesus  said,  I  am  : 
and  ye  shall  see  the  Son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right  hand 

63  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven.  Then  the 
high  priest   rent   his   clothes,    and   saith,  What  need  we 

64  any  further  witnesses  ?  Ye  have  heard  the  blasphemy : 
what   think   ye?     And    they   all    condemned   him   to  be 

65  guilty  of  death.  And  some  began  to  spit  on  him,  and  to 
cover  his  face,  and  to  buffet  him,  and  to  say  unto  him, 
Prophesy  :  and  the  servants  did  strike  him  with  the  palms 
of  their  hands. 

According  to  Mark,  there  were  three  stages  in 
the  trial  of  Jesus :  (1)  before  the  Sanhedrin,  pre- 
sided over  by  the  High  Priest,  in  the  night ;  (2) 
a  consultation  of  the  Sanhedrin  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, apparently  to  formulate  their  accusations ; 
mentioned  only,  with  no  details  ;  (3)  before  Pilate. 
So  Matthew.  Luke  has  no  account  of  the  night 
trial,  but  gives  details  of  a  trial  in  the  morning  : 
he  alone  tells  that  Pilate  sent  Jesus  to  Herod.  In 
the  Fourth  Gospel  Jesus  is  first  taken  before  Annas 
and  examined,  then  sent  to  Caiaphas  (no  details), 
and  by  him  handed  over  to  Pilate.  These  differ- 
ences, with  other  difficulties  of  detail,  make  it 
impossible  to  reconstruct  the  trial  of  Jesus  with 
certainty  ;  it  must  be  sufficient  here  to  follow  the 
plain  narrative  of  Mark. 

53.  the  high  priest.  Caiaphas,  named  in 
Matthew.  This  irregular  night  assembly  of  the 
Sanhedrin  would  not  meet  in  its  Hall  in  the 
Temple  buildings. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  53-65  221 

54.  palace.  Rather,  "court"  (R.V,),  the  open 
space  round  which  the  palace  was  built.  The  trial 
was  in  an  upper  room  (ver.  66).  This  verse  is  in 
preparation  for  verses  66-72. 

55.  There  must  be  some  observance  of  legal 
forms.  But  it  is  not  usual  for  judges  to  "seek" 
for  witness  in  order  to  condemn ! 

56.  Plenty  of  accusations,  not  specified,  but 
there  had  been  no  time  to  arrange  that  two  or 
three  witnesses  should  say  the  same  thing  (Deut. 
xvii.  6,  xix.  15). 

58.  This  is  false  witness  in  the  sense  of 
perverting  words  actually  spoken.  There  is  evi- 
dence of  some  such  utterance  by  Jesus  in  the  charge 
brought  against  Stephen  and  in  his  defence  (Acts 
vi.  14,  vii.  48),  while  in  the  Fourth  Gospel  there 
is  record  of  a  very  similar  saying  (John  ii.  19). 
The  nearest  equivalent  in  the  Synoptics  is  the 
prediction  of  the  destruction  of  the  Temple  (xiii.  2). 
Perhaps  this  had  been  distorted,  or  possibly  the 
prediction  itself  gives  in  modified  form  some  still 
bolder  utterance. 

59-  Matthew  omits  this. 

60.  An  attempt  to  get  over  the  legal  obstacle 
to  condemnation,  presented  by  the  discrepant 
evidence,  by  inducing  the  accused  to  incriminate 
himself. 

61.  There  was  nothing  to  answer  till  legal  evi- 
dence had  been  given  against  Him.  The  silence 
is  a  dignified  protest  against  the  shameless  illegality 
of  the  whole  proceedings.  At  this  point  the 
attempt  to  convict  Him  on  some  side  issue  which 
would  turn  the  tide  of  popular  feeling  against  Him 
is  abandoned  as  hopeless,  and  a  leading  question  is 
put  to  which  He  cannot  remain  silent  without  in 


222  Westminster  New  Testament 

effect  disavowing  the  claim  He  had  tacitly  made.  In 
Matthew  the  High  Priest  puts  Jesus  on  His  oath, 
the  Son  of  the  Blessed.  That  the  Messiah 
was  to  be  Son  of  God,  in  the  official  sense  (see 
n.  on  i.  11),  was  part  of  the  current  Messianic 
belief.  "The  Blessed,"  a  Jewish  paraphrase  for 
"  God  "  (Matthew). 

62.  The  first  open  avowal  of  Messiahship  by 
Jesus,  made  more  emphatic  by  the  bold  appropria- 
tion of  Daniel's  prophecy  (see  notes  on  i.  11,  ii.  10). 

63.  rent  his  Clothes.  The  sign  of  grief  (Gen. 
xxxvii.  39),  forbidden  to  the  High  Priest  in  private 
sorrows  (Lev.  x.  6,  xxi.  10),  but  prescribed  by 
custom  as  an  expression  of  horror  on  hearing 
blasphemy.  A  seam  of  convenient  length  was 
provided  for  the  legal  "  rending." 

64.  There  was  no  blasphemy  in  the  claim 
as  advanced  except  (and  hardly  then)  on  the  pre- 
supposition that  it  could  not  be  true  (for  the  law  of 
blasphemy  cf.  Lev.  xxiv.  10-23  ;  1  Kings  xxi.  9-13). 

guilty  of,  i.e.  liable  to,  death  (by  stoning),  a 
sentence  which  under  Roman  law  the  Jewish 
authorities  had  no  power  to  carry  into  effect  (John 
xviii.  31 :  see  Schlirer,  Jewish  People,  div.  ii.  vol.  i. 
p.  187.  The  execution  of  Stephen  (Acts  vii.  59) 
was  "an  act  of  irregular  mob-justice  "). 

65.  Some  of  the  judges,  perhaps  also  the  baffled 
witnesses,  give  full  rein  to  their  malice  by  heaping 
every  foul  and  cruel  insult  upon  the  condemned 
prisoner.  Finally  the  officers  of  the  Sanhedrin 
"received  him"  (R.V.),  took  Him  over  for  safe 
keeping,  "  with  blows  of  their  hands." 

Prophesy.  According  to  Luke,  Jesus,  blind- 
folded, is  asked  to  prophesy  who  it  was  who  struck 
Him. 


St.  Mark  xiv.  66-72         223 


Mark  xiv.  66-72;  cf.  Matt.  xxvi.  67-75= Luke  xxn« 
55-62  (John  xviii.  15-18,  25-27). 

PETER'S  DENIAL. 

66  And  as  Peter  was  beneath  in  the  palace,  there  cometh  one 

67  of  the  maids  of  the  high  priest  :  and  when  she  saw  Peter 
warming  himself,   she  looked   upon  him,   and  said,   And 

68  thou  also  wast  with  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  But  he  denied, 
saying,  I  know  not,  neither  understand  I  what  thou 
sayest.     And  he  went  out  into  the  porch  ;  and  the  cock 

69  crew.     And  a  maid  saw  him  again,  and  began  to  say  to 

70  them  that  stood  by,  This  is  one  of  them.  And  he  denied 
it  again.  And  a  little  after,  they  that  stood  by  said  again 
to  Peter,  Surely  thou  art  one  of  them ;    for  thou  art  a 

7 1  Galilaean,  and  thy  speech  agreeth  thereto.  But  he  began 
to  curse  and  to  swear,  saying,    I  know  not  this  man  of 

72  whom  ye  speak.  And  the  second  time  the  cock  crew. 
And  Peter  called  to  mind  the  word  that  Jesus  said  unto 
him,  Before  the  cock  crow  twice,  thou  shalt  deny  me 
thrice.     And  when  he  thought  thereon,  he  wept. 

The  narrative  returns  to  ver.  54.  It  should  be 
remembered  that  Peter  was  the  only  one  of  the 
Twelve  who  had  turned  back  from  the  hasty 
flight  of  ver.  50,  and  that  to  be  near  his  Master  he 
had  ventured  into  a  position  of  manifest  peril. 
"  He  had  been  prepared  to  fight  for  Him,  but  saw 
no  wisdom  in  uselessly  suffering  with  Him.  The 
incident  was  a  humiliating  one  for  Peter ;  but  if 
it  had  not  been  for  his  previous  braggart  promises, 
was  not  so  disgraceful  as  we  are  apt  to  think  it" 
(Salmon). 

The  four  accounts  agree  in  a  threefold  denial, 
but  differ  in  details. 

66.  palace.  R.V.,  "  court."  Cf.  ver.  54.  Peter 
was  conspicuous  " in  the  light  of  the  fire"  (ver.  54). 


224  Westminster  New  Testament 

67.  R.V.,  "with  the  Nazarene,  even  Jesus." 
Cf.  i.  24. 

68.  The  disclaimer  is  rather  overdone.  Peter 
retires  into  safer  quarters  in  the  shadow  of  the 
porch  or  covered  way  leading  from  the  court  into 
the  street. 

and  the  cock  crew.  R.V.  omits;  probably 
an  insertion  to  harmonise  with  vers.  30,  72. 

69.  "  Another  maid/'  according  to  Matthew 
and  Luke. 

70.  and  thy  speech  agreeth  thereto.    R.V. 

omits ;  from  Matt.  xxvi.  73,  "  for  thy  speech 
bewrayeth  thee."  It  is  not  likely  that  he  would 
speak  more  than  was  necessary  to  answer 
questions. 

71.  Peter  did  not  break  out  into  profanities, 
but,  invoking  against  himself  the  Divine  curse 
(Anathema)  if  he  spoke  falsely,  he  swore  that  he 
had  no  knowledge  of  Jesus.  The  first  lie  has 
grown  in  substance  and  in  vehemence. 

72.  Some  authorities  omit  the  second  time 
and  twice.  Peter's  own  protestation,  made  with 
exceeding  vehemence,  "  If  I  must  die  with  thee, 
I  will  not  deny  thee,"  and  his  Master's  estimate 
of  his  courage  flash  upon  his  mind.  Luke  adds 
that  "the  Lord  turned  and  looked  upon  Peter." 
Matthew  and  Luke  have  "  And  he  went  out  and 
wept  bitterly."  Mark's  word  rendered  when  he 
thought  thereon  is  of  doubtful  meaning.  R.V. 
agrees  with  A.V.,  with  margin,  "  he  began  to 
weep." 

It  would  seem  probable  that,  as  he  had  risked 
so  much  to  remain  near  Jesus,  and  had  paid  so 
dearly  in  honour,  he  would  linger  in  Jerusalem 
to   witness   the   terrible  events  of  this  day   now 


St.  Mark  xv.  i  225 

beginning  to  dawn.      But  we  do  not  know  :  this 
Gospel  has  nothing  further  to  say  of  Peter. 


Mark  xv.  I ;  cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  i,  2  (Luke  xxii.  66- 
xxiii.  1). 

JESUS  DELIVERED  TO  PILATE. 

1  And  straightway  in  the  morning  the  chief  priests  held  a 
consultation  with  the  elders  and  scribes  and  the  whole 
council,  and  bound  Jesus,  and  carried  him  away,  and 
delivered  him  to  Pilate. 

1.  This  is  not  a  mere  formal  meeting  of  the 
Sanhedrin  to  regularise  the  proceedings  of  the 
night :  the  object  is  to  determine  what  accusation 
they  shall  bring  against  Jesus  before  Pilate,  and 
to  do  this  with  the  urgent  haste  which  the  danger 
of  a  popular  disturbance  at  feast-time  demanded. 
It  is  evident  that  the  Roman  authority  would  not 
simply  confirm  their  sentence.  They  must  devise 
an  offence  against  Roman  law,  and  they  do  this 
by  insisting  on  the  political  aspect  of  that  claim 
to  Messiahship  which  they  had  condemned  on 
religious  grounds  as  blasphemy. 

Pilate.  The  Roman  Procurator  of  Judaea  from 
26-36  a.d.  His  official  residence  was  at  Caesarea, 
but  at  the  Passover  it  was  necessary  that  he  should 
be  in  Jerusalem,  as  responsible  for  order. 


IS 


226  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  xv.  2-15 ;  cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  11-26 ;  Luke  xxiii. 
2_25  J  John  xviii.  28-xix.  16. 

THE  TRIAL  BEFORE  PILATE. 

2  And  Pilate   asked  him,  Art  thou  the  King  of  the  Jews  ? 

3  And  he  answering  said  unto  him,  Thou  sayest  it.  And 
the   chief  priests   accused   him   of  many  things :    but   he 

4  answered  nothing.  And  Pilate  asked  him  again,  saying, 
Answerest  thou  nothing  ?   behold  how  many  things  they 

5  witness  against  thee.     But  Jesus  yet   answered  nothing  ; 

6  so  that  Pilate  marvelled.     Now  at  that  feast  he  released 

7  unto  them  one  prisoner,  whomsoever  they  desired.  And 
there  was  one  named  Barabbas,  which  lay  bound  with 
them   that   had    made   insurrection   with   him,    who   had 

8  committed  murder  in  the  insurrection.  And  the  multitude 
crying  aloud   began  to   desire  him  to  do  as  he  had  ever 

9  done  unto  them.  But  Pilate  answered  them,  saying, 
Will  ye  that   I  release  unto  you  the  King  of  the  Jews? 

10  For  he  knew  that  the  chief  priests  had  delivered  him  for 

11  envy.     But  the  chief  priests  moved  the  people,  that  he 

12  should  rather  release  Barabbas  unto  them.  And  Pilate 
answered  and  said  again  unto  them,  What  will  ye  then 
that  I   shall   do   unto   him   whom   ye   call    the   King   of 

13  the    Jews  ?     And    they   cried    out    again,    Crucify    him. 

14  Then  Pilate  said  unto  them,  Why,  what  evil  hath  he  done  ? 
And  they  cried  out  the  more  exceedingly,  Crucify  him. 

15  And  so  Pilate,  willing  to  content  the  people,  released 
Barabbas  unto  them,  and  delivered  Jesus,  when  he  had 
scourged  him,  to  be  crucified. 

Mark's  account  of  the  trial  before  Pilate  is  only 
fragmentary.  Matthew  follows  the  same  version, 
adding  the  two  incidents  of  the  dream  of  Pilate's 
wife  and  of  Pilate  washing  his  hands.  Luke 
follows  a  record  which  sets  the  events  in  clearer 


St.  Mark  xv.  2-15  227 

sequence,  and  tells  of  the  sending  to  Herod,  while 
John  is  very  largely  original.  But  all  agree  in 
fastening  the  real  guilt  of  the  murder  of  Jesus 
upon  the  Jews  and  not  upon  Pilate.  Pilate,  by 
comparison,  stands  for  justice :  lacking  the  moral 
courage  to  insist,  he  yet  tries  one  plan  after 
another  to  rescue  the  innocent  prisoner,  and  only 
yields  at  last  to  popular  clamour. 

2.  Art  thou*  The  pronoun  is  emphatic,  perhaps 
with  a  touch  of  incredulous  contempt.  This  charge, 
carefully  formulated  by  the  Sanhedrin,  refutes 
itself,  so  far  as  any  menace  to  the  State  from  such 
a  "king"  is  concerned. 

Thou  sayest.  A  formula  of  assent ;  cf.  Matt, 
xxvi.  64  with  Mark  xiv.  62,  and  see  Luke  xxii.  70,  7 1 . 
Possibly  the  phrase  assents  with  a  certain  reserva- 
tion :  King  ?  yes,  but  not  as  men  count  kingship 
(cf.  John  xviii.  36,  37).  In  that  case  we  may 
distinguish  between  the  replies  to  the  only  two 
questions  which  Jesus  answered  during  His  Trials. 
"Art  thou  the  Christ?"  "I  am."  "Art  thou 
(then)  the  King  of  the  Jews  ?  "  Yes,  He  is  that 
too,  but  the  responsibility  of  interpreting  the  claim 
must  lie  with  the  questioners. 

3.  A  vague  statement  that  when  the  bare 
charge  failed  of  its  effect  it  was  supported  by 
accusations  to  which  the  representative  of  Rome 
was  bound  to  give  heed.  Luke  specifies  "per- 
verting the  nation,  forbidding  to  give  tribute  to 
Caesar,  stirring  up  the  people." 

4.  As  in  xiv.  6l,  Jesus  will  not  stoop  to  answer. 
He  knows  what  the  end  must  be,  and,  in  silence, 
will  let  God  have  His  way.  Mark  records  no 
further  word  but  the  cry  from  the  cross  (ver.  34). 

6.  R.V.,   "at   the   feast    he    used   to   release." 


228  Westminster  New  Testament 

Nothing  is  known  of  this  custom  except  what  the 
Evangelists  relate,  nor  of  Barabbas. 

9-  Pilate  sees  his  opportunity  to  appeal,  under 
sanction  of  this  custom,  from  the  hierarchy  to  the 
populace. 

10.  The  "many  accusations"  have  evidently  left 
him  convinced  of  the  prisoner's  innocence  of  any 
political  offence  :  this  prosecution  is  inspired  by 
envy  against  one  who  had  dared  to  traverse  the 
authority  of  the  religious  leaders  of  Israel. 

11.  Mark's  whole  story  would  rather  have  led 
us  to  think  that  an  appeal  to  the  "  multitude/'  so 
uniformly  favourable  to  Jesus,  would  be  the  last 
thing  the  chief  priests  desired.  So  the  Evangelist 
explains  why  it  was  not  successful.  Crowds  are 
proverbially  fickle,  but  this  sudden  alliance  with 
the  enemies  of  Jesus  is  a  little  surprising.  The 
rage  of  men  who  felt  themselves  not  only  dis- 
appointed but  cheated  in  their  hopes  explains 
much ;  and  probably  only  a  small  part  of  this 
crowd  knew  anything  about  Jesus. 

12.  A  jesting  appeal  in  favour  of  the  prisoner. 
If  they  were  gratified  by  the  release  of  Barabbas 
the  worst  of  their  feeling  towards  Jesus  would 
surely  be  a  contemptuous  indifference,  and  Pilate 
could  let  Him  go. 

13.  They  have  learnt  their  lesson  from  the 
priests  too  well. 

14.  A  shocked  protest  from  Pilate  leads  only 
to  redoubled  cries :  the  appeal  to  the  multitude 
(ver.  9),  instead  of  helping  Jesus,  proved  fatal  to 
Him. 

15.  The  Synoptists  represent  Pilate,  convinced 
that  the  charge  is  baseless  and  the  prisoner 
innocent  of  any  crime,  as  sacrificing  Jesus  to  the 


St.  Mark  xv.  16-20  229 

sheer  clamour  of  the  Jerusalem  mob.  Only  John 
records  the  ominous  threat  to  which  at  the  last 
moment  he  yielded,  "If  thou  release  this  man, 
thou  art  not  Caesar's  friend." 

Scourging     was     the     usual     preliminary    to 
crucifixion. 

Mark  xv.  16-20 ;  cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  27-31  (John  xix.  1-5). 
THE  MOCKERY. 

16  And  the  soldiers  led    him   away  into    the    hall,    called 

17  Praetorium  ;  and  they  call  together  the  whole  band.  And 
they  clothed  him  with  purple,  and  platted  a  crown  of 

18  thorns,  and  put  it  about  his  head,  and  began   to   salute 

19  him,  Hail,  King  of  the  Jews  !  And  they  smote  him  on  the 
head  with  a  reed,  and  did  spit  upon  him,  and  bowing  their 

20  knees  worshipped  him.  And  when  they  had  mocked  him, 
they  took  off  the  purple  from  him,  and  put  his  own  clothes 
on  him,  and  led  him  out  to  crucify  him. 

After  the  trial  before  Caiaphas,  Jesus  had  had 
to  endure  the  insults  of  triumphant  malice :  now 
He  is  exposed  to  the  rough  play  of  the  Roman 
soldiers,  who  find  in  His  "kingship"  an  excellent 
jest. 

16.  Apparently  into  the  court  of  Fort  Antonia, 
where  the  garrison  was  lodged.  The  band  or 
"  cohort "  numbered  six  hundred  men. 

17.  purple.  Matthew  says  "a  scarlet  cloak," 
probably  a  soldier's  cloak  made  to  serve  for  the 
royal  colour. 

The  wreath  of  thorny  brushwood  would  be 
painful,  but  its  purpose  was  mockery,  not  torture. 

19.  reed.  To  represent  the  royal  sceptre. 
Matthew  explains  that  they  put  it  in  His  hand, 
then  took  it  away  and  struck  Him  with  it. 


230  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  xv.  21-41 ;  cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  32-56  (Luke  xxiii. 
26-49 ;  John  xix.  16-37). 

THE  CRUCIFIXION. 

21  And  they  compel  one  Simon  a  Cyrenian,  who  passed  by, 
coming  out  of  the  country,  the  father  of  Alexander  and 

22  Rufus,  to  bear  his  cross.  And  they  bring  him  unto  the 
place  Golgotha,  which  is,  being  interpreted,  The  place  of 

23  a  skull.     And  they  gave  him  to  drink  wine  mingled  with 

24  myrrh :  but  he  received  it  not.  And  when  they  had 
crucified  him,  they  parted  his  garments,  casting  lots  upon 

25  them,  what  every  man  should  take.     And  it  was  the  third 

26  hour,  and  they  crucified  him.  And  the  superscription  of 
his  accusation  was  written  over,  THE  KING  OF  THE 

27  JEWS.     And  with  him  they  crucify  two  thieves  ;  the  one 

28  on  his  right  hand,  and  the  other  on  his  left.  And  the 
scripture  was  fulfilled,  which  saith,  And  he  was  numbered 

29  with  the  transgressors.  And  they  that  passed  by  railed  on 
him,    wagging   their  heads,    and   saying,    Ah,    thou   that 

30  destroyest  the  temple,  and  buildest  it  in  three  days,  save 

31  thyself,  and  come  down  from  the  cross.  Likewise  also  the 
chief  priests   mocking   said   among   themselves  with   the 

32  scribes,  He  saved  others ;  himself  he  cannot  save.  Let 
Christ  the  King  of  Israel  descend  now  from  the  cross,  that 
we  may  see  and  believe.     And  they  that  were  crucified 

33  with  him  reviled  him.  And  when  the  sixth  hour  was 
come,  there  was  darkness  over  the  whole  land  until  the 

34  ninth  hour.  And  at  the  ninth  hour  Jesus  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  saying,  Eloi,  Eloi,  lama  sabachthani?  which  is, 
being   interpreted,    My   God,    my   God,    why  hast    thou 

35  forsaken  me?     And  some  of  them  that  stood  by,  when 

36  they  heard  it,  said,  Behold,  he  calleth  Elias.  And  one 
ran  and  filled  a  spunge  full  of  vinegar,  and  put  it  on  a  reed, 
and  gave  him    to   drink,   saying,   Let   alone ;    let  us  see 

37  whether  Elias  will  come  to  take  him  down.     And  Jesus 


St.  Mark  xv.  21-41  231 

38  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  and  gave  up  the  ghost.  And  the 
veil  of  the  temple  was  rent  in  twain  from  the  top  to  the 

39  bottom.  And  when  the  centurion,  which  stood  over 
against  him,  saw  that  he  so  cried  out,  and  gave  up  the 
ghost,   he   said,   Truly  this   man   was   the    Son   of  God. 

40  There  were  also  women  looking  on  afar  off:  among 
whom  was  Mary  Magdalene,   and    Mary  the   mother  of 

41  James  the  less  and  of  Joses,  and  Salome;  (who  also, 
when  he  was  in  Galilee,  followed  him,  and  ministered 
unto  him ;)  and  many  other  women  which  came  up  with 
him  uri?o  Jerusalem. 

21.  compel.  Lit.  "impress/'  a  touch  of  military 
arrogance.  It  would  appear  that  Jesus  was  too 
far  spent  to  carry,  as  criminals  did,  His  own  cross. 
Each  Synoptist  gives  the  name  of  this  African  Jew  : 
Mark  alone  mentions  his  sons,  evidently  well  known 
in  the  Christian  community  for  which  he  is  writing. 
They  cannot  be  identified.  Did  this  incident  win 
Simon  for  Christ,  and  his  sons  after  him  ? 

22.  Golgotha.  Aramaic  for  "skull,"  probably 
some  bald  rounded  hill  near  the  city  (Loisy  com- 
pares the  name  of  the  French  town  Chaumont, 
"bald  hill").  Luke  has  "unto  the  place  which 
is  called  The  skull"  (R.V.),  where  the  A.V.,  from 
the  Latin  Vulgate,  has  "which  is  called  Calvary." 
That  sacred  name  has  disappeared  from  R.V.  text. 

23.  A  stupefying  draught,  offered  in  mercy. 
"  Jesus  refuses  this  alleviation :  He  fears  neither 
pain  nor  death,  and  chooses  to  experience  to  the 
very  end  the  bitterness  of  His  sacrifice  "  (Loisy). 
Matthew  alters  this  to  an  act  of  cruel  mockery, 
wine  mingled  with  bitter  gall,  which  Jesus  tasted 
and  rejected :  doubtless  a  reminiscence  and  sup- 
posed fulfilment  of  Ps.  Ixix.  21  (see  ver.  36). 


232  Westminster  New  Testament 

24.  The  clothes  were  the  perquisite  of  the  four 
(John  xix.  23)  executioners.  This  detail  is  no 
doubt  mentioned  as  fulfilling  a  Scripture  which 
John  alone  cites  (Ps.  xxii.  18). 

25.  the  third  hour.  9  a.m.  Mark  only. 
This  cannot  be  reconciled  with  John  xix.  14. 

26.  A  legal  formality.  The  exact  form  of  the 
inscription  varies  in  each  of  the  four  accounts  ;  the 
substance  is  identical. 

27.  two  thieves.  R.V.,"tworobbers,'*despera- 
does  like  Barabbas.  An  accentuation  of  the 
shameful  circumstances  of  the  Saviour's  death. 
All  mention  this :  Luke  alone  has  the  story  of 
the  "penitent  thief." 

28.  R.V.  omits :  an  interpolation  from  Luke 
xxii.  37. 

29-32.  A  picture  in  three  panels  of  the  scoffs 
and  reproaches  which  were  heaped  upon  this 
crucified  "  Messiah."  The  passers  by  (the  cross 
must  have  stood  near  a  public  road),  who  had  heard 
of  the  proud  boast  alleged  by  the  witnesses  before 
Caiaphas  (xiv.  58),  bid  Him  prove  His  title  to  use 
such  brave  words.  The  authors  of  his  death 
are  there  to  see  their  work,  and,  not  addressing 
Him,  argue  beneath  the  cross  in  exultant  justi- 
fication of  what  they  have  done.  He  saved 
others,  a  jeering  reference  either  to  His  re- 
ported miracles  of  healing  (of  which  this  word 
"  save  "  is  repeatedly  used,  see  v.  23,  34,  x.  52)  or  to 
His  "  Messianic  pretensions,  understood  as  a  work 
of  universal  salvation  "  (Loisy) :  this  latter  meaning 
is  rather  suggested  by  what  follows.  Himself 
he  cannot  save,  the  unconscious  utterance  of 
the  truth  which  created  Christianity.  The 
robbers  joined  in  the  reproaches,  as  if  they  too 


St.  Mark  xv.  21-41  233 

were  cheated  of  deliverance  by  the  failure  of  this 
Messianic  hope  (but  cf.  Luke  xxiii.  39-^3). 

33.  The  first  indication  that  this  execution  was 
not  as  others.  Each  Synoptist  (not  John)  records 
the  two  portents,  a  three  hours'  darkness  (noon 
to  3  p.m.)  over  the  whole  earth  (so  R.V.  rightly), 
and  the  rending  of  the  temple  veil.  Matthew 
amplifies  with  matter  of  more  legendary  aspect. 

To  seek  a  natural  cause  for  the  darkness  is  to 
offend  against  the  spirit  of  the  narrative.  Mark 
intends  a  supernatural  portent  of  mourning  and 
desolation,  the  veiy  sun  hiding  his  face  before 
such  a  deed.  Luke  uses  a  technical  word,  "  The 
sun's  light  failing,"  which  might  be  interpreted  of 
an  eclipse ;  but  Luke  would  know  that  an  eclipse 
could  not  occur  at  the  Passover  full  moon,  and  could 
not  last  three  hours  (cf.  Amos  viii.  9,  10). 

34.  Eloi  is  the  Aramaic  form  for  the  Hebrew 
"  Eli,"  which  Matthew  retains,  and  which  better 
accounts  for  the  confusion,  real  or  pretended,  with 
Elijah.  Reverence  will  shrink  from  a  too  confident 
assertion  that  this  cry  meant,  for  the  consciousness 
of  Jesus,  a  sense  of  real  abandonment  by  God. 
The  words  are  the  opening  question  of  Psalm  xxii., 
the  cry  of  one  delivered  over  to  his  persecutors, 
despairing  but  for  his  faith  in  God,  whose  help 
tarries.  So  interpreted  here,  "  it  falls  in  with  the 
prayer  in  Gethsemane,  '  Remove  this  cup  from  me,' 
and  becomes  a  question,  while  the  cup  is  at  His 
lips,  why  it  was  not  removed  "  (Gould).  Moreover, 
it  is  a  natural  inference  from  the  citation  of  its 
opening  words,  that  the  whole  psalm  had  been  in 
our  Lord's  thoughts  during  those  hours  of  agony. 
But  the  psalm  is  not  one  of  despair :  on  the 
contrary,  it  ends  with  the  triumph  of  faith  and  a 


234  Westminster  New  Testament 

vision  of  the  universal  kingdom  of  God.  It  is  at 
least  possible,  therefore,  that  the  cry  is  a  cry  of 
victory  in  the  very  moment  of  the  approach  of 
death. 

This  is  the  only  one  of  the  "  Seven  Words  from 
the  Cross  "  given  by  Mark  and  Matthew  (not  Luke). 
Of  the  rest,  three  are  peculiar  to  Luke  (but  see 
R.V.  marsj.,  Luke  xxiii.  34),  three  to  John. 

35.  Elijah  held  prominent  place  in  Jewish 
thought  as  precursor  of  Messiah  (vi.  15,  viii.  28, 
ix.  11-13)  and  as  a  deliverer  in  time  of  trouble. 
Perhaps  the  Roman  soldiers  knew  enough  about 
this  to  misunderstand  the  cry :  if  the  reference  is 
to  Jewish  bystanders,  the  misunderstanding  could 
only  be  a  pretence  and  a  mockery. 

36.  vinegar.  Perhaps  the  jwsca,  or  sour  wine 
which  the  soldiers  drank,  kept  in  a  vessel  with  a 
sponge  for  stopper  (a  reminiscence  of  Ps.  lxix.  21 
seems  probable ;  cf.  ver.  23).  Some  one  takes 
advantage  of  the  diversion  to  do  an  act  of  mercy, 
putting  interference  aside  on  the  plea  of  keeping 
life  in  Jesus  till  it  became  clear  whether  Elijah 
was  coming  or  not.  In  Matthew  it  is  the  lookers- 
on  who  say  u  Let  be "  :  they  prevent  the  act  of 
mercy,  saying  in  effect,  "  Give  him  no  help  :  leave 
him  to  Elijah." 

37.  Luke  gives  words  to  this  last  cry  :  "  Father, 
into  thy  hands  I  commend  my  spirit." 

gave  up  the  ghost.  Lit.  "  breathed  out," 
breathed  His  last,  expired. 

38.  the  veil  which  shut  off  the  Holy  of  Holies 
(entered  only  by  the  High  Priest  once  a  year)  from 
the  Holy  Place.  The  effect  of  the  death  of  Christ 
to  Christian  thought  is  that  the  believer  has  free 
access  to  God  (Rom.  v.;  Eph.  ii.    14-18,  iii.   12; 


St.  Mark  xv.  21-41  235 

Heb.  vi.  19,  20,  ix.  3-14,  x.   19,  20).     See  n.  on 
ver.  33. 

39.  R.V.,  "saw  that  he  so  gave  up  the  ghost." 
The  "  so  "  seems  to  attach  to  the  whole  manner  of 
the  death,  rather  than  exclusively  to  the  darkness. 
In  Matthew  the  reference  is  to  the  accompanying 
portents :  so  perhaps  in  Luke,  "  saw  what  was 
done." 

the  Son  of  God.  This  phrase  could  not  be 
used  by  a  heathen  centurion  in  the  sense  it  would 
convey  to  the  Evangelist  and  his  readers  (unless, 
indeed,  he  knew  by  hearsay  of  a  claim  he  could 
not  understand,  and  declares  that,  whatever  this 
man  claimed  to  be,  the  claim  is  true).  Probably 
the  confession  of  the  centurion  (Luke  has  "  this 
was  a  righteous  (i.e.  innocent)  man ")  has  been 
translated  into  Christian  terms.  If  (with  R.V. 
marg.)  we  render  "a  son  of  God,"  the  phrase 
means  a  divine  being,  hero,  demigod,  and  is  a  con- 
fession a  Gentile  might  make.  But  it  is  doubtful 
if  the  Evangelists  so  understood  it. 

40.  This  mention  of  the  women  prepares  for 
ver.  47  and  xvi.  1-8. 

Mary  of  Magdala.    See  n.  on  xiv.  3. 

James  uthe  Little."  Usually  identified  with 
the  Apostle  James,  son  of  Alphaeus :  perhaps  the 
epithet  was  used  to  distinguish  him  from  the  greater 
Apostle  James,  son  of  Zebedee. 

Salome.  Probably  mother  of  James  and  John, 
sons  of  Zebedee  (cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  56). 

41.  Cf.  Luke  viii.  2,  3. 


236  Westminster  New  Testament 


Mark  xv.  42-47;  cf.  Matt,  xxvii.  57-61  =  Luke  xxiii. 
50-56  (John  xix.  38-42)- 

THE  BURIAL. 

42  And  now  when  the  even  was  come,  because  it  was  the 

43  Preparation,  that  is,  the  day  before  the  sabbath,  Joseph 
of  Arimathaea,  an  honourable  counsellor,  which  also 
waited  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  came,  and  went  in  boldly 

44  unto  Pilate,  and  craved  the  body  of  Jesus.  And  Pilate 
marvelled  if  he  were  already  dead :  and  calling  unto  him 
the  centurion,  he  asked  him  whether  he  had   been  any 

45  while  dead.     And  when  he  knew  it  of  the  centurion,  he 

46  gave  the  body  to  Joseph.  And  he  bought  fine  linen, 
and  took  him  down,  and  wrapped  him  in  the  linen,  and 
laid  him  in  a  sepulchre  which  was  hewn  out  of  a  rock,  and 

47  rolled  a  stone  unto  the  door  of  the  sepulchre.  And  Mary 
Magdalene  and  Mary  the  mother  of  Joses  beheld  where  he 
was  laid. 

Jewish  law,  probably  conformed  to  by  the  Roman 
authorities,  forbade  that  the  body  should  remain 
upon  the  cross  all  night  (Deut.  xxi.  23).  In  this 
instance  there  was  additional  reason  for  hasty 
burial ;  it  was  already  3  p.m.  on  Friday,  and  the 
Sabbath  began  at  sunset.  Unless  some  relative 
or  friend  made  successful  application,  the  corpse 
would  be  flung  into  the  common  grave  of  criminals. 
None  of  His  immediate  circle  make  this  petition 
for  the  body  of  Jesus :  perhaps  they  dare  not,  but 
the  need  finds  an  unexpected  and  influential 
friend. 

42.  even.     Any  time  between  3  p.m.  and  sunset. 

43.  Arimathaea.  Perhaps  the  Ramathaim  of 
1  Sam.  i.  1  in  Ephraim,  or  the  town  of  the  same 
name  near   Lydda  (1    Mace.   xi.    34).     He  was  a 


St.  Mark  xvi.  1-8  237 

councillor,  i.e.  member  of  the  Sanhedrin,  of  good 
position  (Matthew  says  "  a  rich  man  "),  who  also 
himself  was  looking  for  the  kingdom  of 
God.  This  phrase  seems  to  characterise  the 
devout  Israelite  (cf.  Luke  ii.  25  and  xxiii.  50,  51) 
with  a  sympathetic  admiration  for  the  aims  and 
ideals  of  Jesus  which  had  not  gone  the  length  of 
discipleship.  Matthew  and  John  say  he  was  a 
disciple,  John  adding,  "  but  secretly,  for  fear  of 
the  Jews."  Luke  parenthetically  remarks  that 
he  had  not  been  a  consenting  party  to  the  con- 
demnation of  Jesus. 

44,  45.  Peculiar  to  Mark.  Crucifixion  often 
meant  a  lingering  death  of  two  or  three  days. 
These  verses  give  a  guarantee  of  the  actual  death 
of  Jesus. 

gave  the  body.  R.V.,  "  granted  the  corpse." 
Lit.  "  gave  as  a  boon,"  without  payment,  a  detail 
to  the  credit  of  Pilate. 

46.  sepulchre.  R.V.,  "tomb."  Luke  says 
"  where  never  man  had  yet  lain  " ;  Matthew,  "  his 
own  new  tomb."  See  n.  on  xi.  2.  No  time  for  the 
use  of  aromatic  spices  :  that  must  wait  till  the 
Sabbath  was  past. 

47.  This  verse  prepares  for  the  next  scene. 


Mark  xvi.  i-8 ;  cf.  Matt,  xxviii.  i-8  =  Luke  xxiv.  1-9 
(John  xx.  1). 

THE  RESURRECTION. 

And  when  the  sabbath  was   past,   Mary  Magdalene,  and 
Mary  the  mother  of  James,  and  Salome,  had  bought  sweet 

2  spices,  that  they  might  come  and  anoint  him.     And  very 
early  in  the  morning  the  first  day  of  the  week,  they  came 

3  unto  the  sepulchre  at  the  rising  of  the  sun.     And  they  said 


238  Westminster  New  Testament 

among  themselves,  Who  shall  roll  us  away  the  stone  from 

4  the  door  of  the  sepulchre  ?  And  when  they  looked,  they 
saw  that  the  stone  was  rolled  away  :  for  it  was  very  great. 

5  And  entering  into  the  sepulchre,  they  saw  a  young  man 
sitting  on  the  right  side,  clothed  in  a  long  white  garment ; 

6  and  they  were  affrighted.  And  he  saith  unto  them,  Be 
not  affrighted :  ye  seek  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  which  was 
crucified  :  he  is  risen ;  he  is  not  here :  behold  the  place 

7  where  they  laid  him.  But  go  your  way,  tell  his  disciples 
and  Peter  that  he  goeth  before   you  into  Galilee :    there 

8  shall  ye  see  him,  as  he  said  unto  you.  And  they  went 
out  quickly,  and  fled  from  the  sepulchre  ;  for  they  trembled 
and  were  amazed  :  neither  said  they  any  thing  to  any  man  ; 
for  they  were  afraid. 

1.  In  each  account  it  is  the  women  who  dis- 
cover the  empty  tomb,  Mary  of  Magdala  being 
especially  prominent  (in  John,  alone). 

had  bought.  R.V.,  "  bought/'  after  sunset  on 
the  Sabbath. 

2.  at  the  rising  of  the  sun.  R.  V., "  when  the 
sun  was  risen." 

3.  they  said.  R.V.,  "were  saying,"  as  they 
went.  "  A  striking  example  of  the  way  in  which 
people  often  distress  themselves  by  anticipation  of 
difficulties  which  in  point  of  fact  never  arise" 
(Salmon).  They  knew  nothing  of  any  watch  set 
over  the  tomb  (Matt,  xxvii.  62-66). 

4.  The  last  clause  explains  why  they  were 
troubled  about  the  stone. 

5.  This  angelic  appearance  is  related  with 
considerable  reserve  :    otherwise  in  Matthew. 

affrighted.     R.V.,  "amazed  "  (also  in  ver.  6). 

6.  Jesus  the  Nazarene.    Cf.  i.  24. 

R.V.,  "which  hath  been  crucified."     The  tense 


St.  Mark  xvi.  1-8  239 

used  (the  perfect)  does  not  simply  refer  to  the  fact 
which  took  place  two  days  ago  ("  which  was 
crucified  "),  but  describes  a  permanent  attribute,  as 
it  were,  of  Jesus,  and  so  reflects  later  Christian 
thought  which  had  come  to  know  the  meaning  of 
the  Cross  (cf.  1  Cor.  i.  23,  ii.  2). 

he  is  risen.  A  tremendous  word :  the  reader 
has  been  prepared  for  it  (viii.  31,  ix.  9,  31,  x.  34, 
xiv.  28),  but  not  these  women  nor  the  disciples. 
The  tomb  was  obviously  empty  (he  is  not  here  : 
behold  the  place  where  they  laid  him),  but 
this  in  itself  was  no  evidence  of  the  resurrection 
(cf.  John  xx.  2,  13). 

7.  Cf.  xiv.  28.  This  Gospel  evidently  does  not 
contemplate  any  appearances  of  the  risen  Christ 
to  the  disciples  in  Jerusalem  :  otherwise  in  Luke 
and  John.  John  omits  the  reference  to  Galilee. 
Luke  gives  quite  another  turn  to  it  (Luke  xxiv.  6). 
Perhaps  Peter  is  rather  named  as  the  leader 
of  the  Apostles  than  to  show  that  his  denial  was 
forgiven :  the  desertion  of  the  other  disciples  was 
even  more  complete  (see  n.  on  xiv.  66). 

8.  they  trembled  and  were  amazed.    R.V., 

"trembling  and  astonishment  had  come  upon 
them."  The  shock  of  what  they  had  seen  and 
heard  was  too  great  for  them  to  fulfil  the  angel's 
commision :  they  fled  in  terror  and  did  not  deliver 
their  message,  for  they  were  afraid.  And  with 
these  words  Mark's  Gospel,  as  we  have  it, 
ends.  (See  Introduction.)  In  Matthew  they 
"ran  to  bring  his  disciples  word,"  Jesus  Himself 
appearing  to  them  in  the  way.  Luke  says,  "  they 
told  all  these  things  to  the  eleven,  and  to  all  the 
rest."  The  Evangelists  were  absolutely  certain  of 
the  fact  which  they  record,  but  the  real  evidence 


240  Westminster  New  Testament 

for  the  resurrection  is  to  be  sought  elsewhere  than 
in  a  reconciliation  of  their  conflicting  accounts. 


[Mark  xvi.  9-20.] 

THE  APPENDIX. 

[9  Now  when  Jesus  was  risen  early  the  first  day  of  the  week, 
he  appeared  first  to  Mary  Magdalene,  out  of  whom  he  had 

10  cast  seven  devils.     And  she  went  and  told  them  that  had 

11  been  with  him,  as  they  mourned  and  wept.  And  they, 
when  they  had  heard  that  he  was  alive,  and  had  been  seen 

12  of  her,  believed  not.  After  that  he  appeared  in  another 
form  unto  two  of  them,  as  they  walked,  and  went  into  the 

13  country.  And  they  went  and  told  it  unto  the  residue :  neither 

14  believed  they  them.  Afterward  he  appeared  unto  the 
eleven  as  they  sat  at  meat,  and  upbraided  them  with  their 
unbelief  and  hardness  of  heart,  because  they  believed  not 

15  them  which  had  seen  him  after  he  was  risen.  And  he  said 
unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach  the  gospel 

16  to  every  creature.     He  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall 

17  be  saved  ;  but  he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  And 
these  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe  ;  In  my  name  shall 
they  cast  out  devils ;  they  shall  speak  with  new  tongues ; 

18  they  shall  take  up  serpents  ;  and  if  they  drink  any  deadly 
thing,  it  shall  not  hurt  them  ;  they  shall  lay  hands  on  the 

19  sick,  and  they  shall  recover.  So  then  after  the  Lord  had 
spoken  unto  them,  he  was  received  up  into  heaven,  and  sat 

20  on  the  right  hand  of  God.  And  they  went  forth,  and 
preached  every  where,  the  Lord  working  with  them,  and 
confirming  the  word  with  signs  following.     Amen.  ] 

These  twelve  verses  certainly  form  no  part  of 
Mark's  Gospel.  Some  points  of  the  internal  evi- 
dence against  them  will  be  remarked  on  in  the 
following  brief  notes:   for  the   external   evidence 


St.  Mark  xvi.  9-20  241 

and  a  brief  discussion  of  the  questions   to  which 
their  rejection  gives  rise,  see  Introduction. 

9-11.  The  last  verse  left  us  following  the 
fortunes  of  the  women  who  had  fled  in  terror 
from  the  empty  tomb,  among  whom  was  Mary 
Magdalene.  But  instead  of  continuing,  the  story 
takes  a  fresh  start,  returning  on  ver.  1,  and  intro- 
ducing Mary  as  if  she  had  not  been  named  before. 
Moreover,  the  appearance  of  Jesus  to  her  is  not 
related  with  the  wonder  and  joy  that  belong  to 
such  an  experience,  but  merely  noted  in  cold, 
matter-of-fact  manner.  This  character  of  formal 
notes  appears  in  the  sections  which  follow ;  a  poor 
exchange  for  the  warmth  and  life  of  Mark's  story 
hitherto.  The  vocabulary  and  style  show  marked 
difference  from  the  rest  of  the  book.  This 
"ending"  is  in  fact  a  bald  summary  of  Christophanies 
gathered  from  the  other  Gospels,  and  betraying 
at  its  close  distinct  ecclesiastical  and  even  legendanj 
influence. 

This  section  combines  John  xx.  16-18  (cf. 
Matt,  xxviii.  9,  10)  with  the  disciples'  disbelief 
of  the  women  who  reported  the  empty  tomb  (Luke 
xxiv.  11). 

12,  13.  The  appearance  to  the  two  disciples  on 
the  way  to  Emmaus  (Luke  xxiv.  13-35).  The 
detail  in  another  form  represents  Luke's  "  their 
eyes  were  holden  that  they  should  not  know  him." 
The  assertion  that  the  rest  did  not  believe  them  is  in 
flat  contradiction  of  Luke's  narrative  (vers.  33-35). 

1 4.  A  summary  of  Luke  xxiv.  36-43  ;  John  xx. 
19-25.  The  reason  given  for  the  upbraiding  of 
the  disciples  is  due  to  the  summarist. 

15-18.  These   instructions  appear   to  belong  to 
the  scene  of  ver.  14,  and  so  to  represent  Luke  xxiv. 
16 


242  Westminster  New  Testament 

44-49:  a  closer  parallel  to  vers.  15,  16  is  found  in 
Matthew's  account  of  words  spoken  on  the  mountain 
in  Galilee  (xxviii.  16-20). 

16.  The  reference  to  the  baptism  of  converts  is 
from  the  practice  of  the  early  Church.  It  is  need- 
less to  say  that  Jesus  never  made  baptism  a 
condition  of  salvation. 

damned.     R.V.,  "  condemned." 

17,  18.  Casting  out  demons  and  healing  the  sick 
are  part  of  our  Lord's  commission  to  the  Twelve, 
confirmed  in  the  experience  of  the  early  Church. 
For  "speaking  with  tongues"  (R.V.  marg.  omits 
"new")  cf.  1  Cor.  xiv. ;  Acts  ii.  1-13,  x.  46,  xix.  6. 
The  immunity  from  serpents  and  poison  is  a 
legendary  accretion,  possibly  by  distortion  of  words 
spoken  metaphorically. 

19,  20.  Later  theological  influence  is  evident  in 
sat  on  the  right  hand  of  God  and  in  working 
with  them  and  confirming  the  word. 


INDEX 


Abba,  2 1 6. 

Abomination    of    desolation, 

16,  200. 
Allegory,  82. 
Andrew,  37,  38,  71. 
Apocalyptic  literature,  196. 
Apostle,  36,  109. 
Aramaic,    II,  18,   37,  57,  62, 

71,72,99,123,171,216, 

231,  233. 
Arimathaea,  236. 
Aristion,  12,  20. 
Auber,  Harriet,  29. 
Authority  of  Jesus,    40,   57, 

179. 

Baptism,  23-30,  165,  242. 
Bartimaeus,  168. 
Beelzebub,  73. 
Bennett,  Dr.  W.  H.,  7. 
Bethany,  172,  205. 
Bethpage,  170. 
Bethsaida,  112. 
Blasphemy,  55,  74,  222. 
Boanerges,  71. 
Browning,  134. 

Cassarea  Philippi,  130. 
Calvary,  231. 
Canaanite,  72. 


Capernaum,  39,  58,  146. 
Carpenter,  Jesus  the,  101. 
Chadwick    (St.    Mark),    54, 

103,  216. 
Cheyne  (Isaiah),  175. 
Christ.     See  Messiah. 
Clement   of  Alexandria,    10, 

37- 
Conybeare,  F.  C,  20. 
Corban,  118. 
Crashaw,  Richard,  192. 
Cup,  165. 

Dalman    ( Words    of  Jesus), 

159- 
,    Dalmanutha,  124. 
!    Dead  Sea,  176. 
Decapolis,  91,  94. 
Demon,  40,  45,  91-94,   141- 
145. 

Edersheim    (Jesus   the    Mes- 
siah), 66,  174. 
Elijah,  25,  105,  106,  137,  139. 
Eloi,  233. 
Ephphatha,  123. 
Eusebius,  10,  19. 

Faith,   54,  89,  97,  98,    102, 
121,  122,  143,  177. 


244 


Index 


Fasting,  62,  144. 
Forgiveness  of  sins,  26,  54, 
74,  176. 

Gadara,  Gerasa  and  Gergesa, 

91. 
Gehenna,  152. 
Gennesaret,  114. 
Gethsemane,  215. 
Golgotha,  231. 
Gospel,  meaning  of  the  word, 

2,  22. 
Gospel  of  Mark  : — 

Authorship,  8-10. 

Characteristics,  4-6. 

Contents,  3,  4. 

Date,  18. 

Destination,  18. 

Influence,  6-8. 

Last  twelve  verses,  19-21, 
240-242. 

Petrine  element,  10-13. 

Relation  to  other  Synoptics, 
13-18. 

Relation  to  Fourth  Gospel, 

33- 
Sources,  10-13. 
Subject,  2. 
Gould  (St.  Mark),  152,  233. 

Hallel,  212. 

Hemans,  Mrs.,  88. 

Herod    Antipas,     106,     127, 

220. 
Herodians,  69,  183. 
Herodias,  106. 
Holy  Spirit,  27-29,  74. 
Hosanna,  171. 

Irenjeus,  10,  18. 

James  the  Apostle,  37,  165. 
James  the  Less,  235. 


James    the    Lord's    brother, 

101. 
John  the  Apostle,   37,    150, 

165. 
John  the  Baptist,  23-30,  61- 

65,  105-108. 
John  the  Elder,  II. 
John  Mark,  8-10. 
Jonah,  sign  of,  125. 
Josephus,  106. 
Joseph  of  Arimathsea,  236. 
Judas  Iscariot,  72,  208. 
Judas  the  son  of  James,  72. 
Jude     the     Lord's    brother, 

101. 

Kerioth,  72. 
King  of  the  Jews,  227. 
Kingdom  of  God,   34,   133- 
135,  156. 

Latham  (Pastor  Pastorum), 
161. 

Leaven,  126. 

Legion,  92. 

Leper,  49-51. 

Levi,  58. 

Loisy  (Les  £vangiles  Synop- 
tiques),  7,  12,  15,  17, 
20,  93,  136,  137,  161, 
162,  186,  208,  219,  231, 
232. 

MacDonald,  George,  206. 

Machrerus,  106. 

Mark.     See  John  Mark. 

Mary  of  Magdala,  206,  235, 
238. 

Matthew.     See  Levi. 

Medley,  W.,  5. 

Menzies  (The  Earliest  Gos- 
pel), 6,  17,  141,  165, 
177,  188,  212,  217. 


Index 


245 


Messiah,  2,  30,  45,  56,  129- 

132,  168-172,  189. 
Meyer  {St.  Mark),  152. 
Milton,  74. 
Moses,  137,  155,  186. 
Mystery,  80,  84. 

Nazarene,  41,  168,  224,  238. 

Papias,  10,  12,  14,  16. 
Parables,    teaching    in,     77- 

86. 
Paralytic,  53. 
Peter,    10-13,    37,    7h    13^ 

223-225. 
Peter,  James,  and  John,  38, 

98,  136,  215. 
Pharisees,    59,    61,  69,    116- 

120,  125,  126,   155,  183, 

191. 
Pilate,  225-229. 
Prayer,    47,    71,     144,     176, 

215. 
Publicans  and  sinners,  58. 

Rabboni,  169. 
Ramathaim,  236. 
Ramsay,  165. 
Riches,  161. 

Sabbath,  65-69. 
Sadducees,  185, 
Salmon  {Human  Element  in 

the  Gospels),  223,  238. 
Salome,  (1)  107,  (2)  235. 
Sanday   {Life  of   Christ    in 

Recent    Research),     196, 

197. 
Satan,  32,  73,  132. 


Schiirer,  222. 

Scribes,  40,  55,  59,  116-120, 

142,  189,  191. 
Sea  of  Galilee,   37,    58,  70, 

77,  88,  91,  109,  112,  122. 
Simon  Peter.     See  Peter. 
Simon  the  Leper,  205. 
Simon  the  Zealot,  72. 
Son  of  David,  168,  172,  189. 
Son   of  God,   23,    29,    138, 

235- 
Son   of   man,    56,    67,    131, 

140,  194-203,  217,  222. 
Spikenard,  206. 
Swete  {St.  Mark),  10,  13,  15, 

18,  20,  152,  172,  215. 
Synoptic  Problem,  13. 

Talitha  cumi,  99. 
Tempt,  125. 

Temptation  of  Jesus,  30-32. 
Touch  of  Jesus,  49,  96,  156. 
Tradition,  62,  66,  116. 

Unclean  spirit.     See  Demon. 

Voice  from  heaven,  29,  138. 

Watson  {Mind  of  the  Master), 

157. 
Wendt   ( Teaching  of  Jesus), 

157- 
Westminster  New  Testament, 

14,  165. 
Weymouth  {N.  T.  in  Modem 

Speech),  137,  143. 

Zacchaeus,  168. 
Zealot,  72. 


Printed  by 

Morrison  and  Gibb  Limited 

Edinburgh 


Date  Due 

> 

VII 

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